Effect of an Internet-Hospital-Community-Home Linked Health Management Model in Patients with Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures Who Received Conservative Treatment: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of an internet-hospital-community-home (IHCH) linked health management model in the management of patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) who undergoing conservative treatment. Methods: This quasi-experimental study enrolled patients with OVCF who undergoing conservative treatment and visited to xx hospital between April 2022 and September 2022. Patients were divided into two group based on their time of visit to receive the IHCH linked health management (IHCH group) or routine management (control group). The outcomes were activities of daily living (ADL) scores, quality of life [measured by SF-36 Health Survey (SF36) scores], functional disability [measured by Roland-Morris Disability Questionnair (RMDQ) score], pain assessment [measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score] at acute stage, 1 month, 3-month, 6 months after intervention; and pressure injuries, medication adherence, and health service satisfaction at 6 months after intervention. Results: Sixty-two patients completed the follow-up, with 31 cases in each group. The baseline information between the two groups were comparable (all P>0.05). After intervention, repeated measures ANOVA showed that the ADL (P time < 0.001, P group = 0.045, P time x group < 0.001), SF-36 (P time < 0.001, P group = 0.008, P time x group < 0.001), and RMDQ scores (P time < 0.001, P group = 0.014, P time x group < 0.001) in IHCH group were significantly improved compared to the control group, which were interacted with time. Furthermore, at the 6-month follow-up, the IHCH group exhibited significantly lower incidence of pressure injuries [2 (6.67) vs 8 (26.67), P = 0.038], higher medication adherence [16 (53.33) vs 9(30.00), P = 0.031], and greater satisfaction with health services [Total satisfaction: 27 (90.00) vs 19 (63.33), P = 0.015] compared to the control group. Conclusion: The IHCH linked health management model might improve the effectiveness of conservative treatment for OVCF patients, reduce the occurrence of complications, and enhance satisfaction with health services.