Prevention & lipidsRandomised controlled trial
A village doctor-led mobile health intervention for cardiovascular risk reduction in rural China: cluster randomised controlled trial
- Cluster randomised controlled trial
- 127 villages, 5 provinces and autonomous regions
- Enrolment March 2023 to May 2023
Authors' conclusion
The village doctor-led mobile health intervention was effective at reducing cardiovascular risk and improving control of behavioural and metabolic risk factors.
Study context
- Population
- Rural Chinese residents aged ≥35 years without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), predicted 10 year risk ≥10%, with a family doctor contract and a smartphone
- Participants
- 4,533 residents · 127 villages
- Comparison
- Village doctor-led mobile health intervention vs usual care
- Interventionn = 2,297
- Controln = 2,236reference
- Primary endpoint
- Mean change in predicted 10 year ASCVD risk
- Follow-up
- 12 months
Primary result
Predicted 10 year ASCVD risk
Absolute difference
−1.88 %
95% CI −2.57% to −1.19%
P < 0.001
By group
Intervention
18.0% to 11.7%
10 year risk, baseline → 12 months
Control
17.8% to 13.6%
10 year risk, baseline → 12 months
Intervention vs Control
absolute difference −1.88 % (95% CI −2.57% to −1.19%); P < 0.001
As reported in the abstract
Further findings
| Outcome | Intervention | Control | OR | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proportion of daily smokers · 12 months | −3.1% | −0.6% | 0.60 (95% CI 0.43–0.84) | P = 0.003 | |
| Insufficient physical activity · 12 months | −3.0% | 1.3% | 0.63 (CI 0.42–0.95) | P = 0.03 | |
| 0.512Odds ratio (log scale) |
| Outcome | Intervention | Control | Estimate | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifetime ASCVD risk · 12 months | −15.9 % | −11.0 % | difference −4.59 % | P < 0.001 |
| SBP · 12 months | −23.2 mm Hg | −15.2 mm Hg | difference −7.64 mm Hg | P < 0.001 |
| DBP · 12 months | −10.9 mm Hg | −6.9 mm Hg | difference −3.59 mm Hg | P < 0.001 |
| Fasting blood glucose · 12 months | −0.9 mmol/L | −0.5 mmol/L | difference −0.30 mmol/L | P = 0.008 |
Non-HDL cholesterol, obesity · 12 months
- No significant differences in change in non-HDL cholesterol or proportion with obesity
Original publication
A village doctor-led mobile health intervention for cardiovascular risk reduction in rural China: cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ. Published 27 May 2025. doi:10.1136/bmj-2024-082765
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it