This systematic review aimed to identify effective and cost-effective digital health interventions to improve self-management behaviors, blood pressure control, and cardiovascular risk reduction. A search for randomized and non-randomized control trials of digital health interventions among patients with uncontrolled hypertension was conducted from the databases of Embase, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Thai Journal Online (ThaiJO), the Faculty of Nursing Mahidol University (FON-MU) Nursing Research Database, and gray literature. After conducting the literature screening, the authors completed data extraction, and the risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute randomized controlled trial checklist and the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist for quasi-experimental studies. The study included 22 articles, comprising 30 to 4,118 patients with uncontrolled hypertension. This review classified and summarized the components of digital health interventions and their effects on hypertensive outcomes. It was found that the key elements of digital health interventions include health education, reminders, self-monitoring, feedback and consultation, and instrumental support. Moreover, approximately 81.81 % (n = 18) of the digital health interventions involved healthcare providers participating in feedback and consultation. Additionally, digital health interventions effectively improve hypertensive outcomes such as self-management behaviors, blood pressure control, and cardiovascular risk reduction, providing cost-effectiveness. Based on the available literature, digital health interventions have been shown to effectively enhance behavioral, clinical, and economic outcomes for individuals with uncontrolled hypertension. Moreover, the combination of digital health interventions and healthcare providers’ interventions can potentially help patients with uncontrolled hypertension improve adherence to self-management when compared to stand-alone digital health interventions. Digital health interventions to support self-management interventions should be developed for patients by healthcare providers.

Background/Objective: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. Plant-based interventions have gained attention as potential complementary treatments alongside conventional therapies. This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of plant-based interventions in improving glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles, and other outcomes such as GLUT-4, Tumor Necrosis Facto-alpha, dietary inflammation index, plasma lipopolysaccharide, total antioxidant capacity, and malondialdehyde in individuals with T2D. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. RCTs were used as an additional screening criterion. The review included studies on the effects of plant-based interventions, encompassing fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and their extracts. We analyzed data on glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles, and other metabolic markers. Results: Twenty-six studies were included in our analysis. Various interventions showed potential benefits, with improved glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profiles. Specific interventions such as Ziziphus jujuba juice, black tea, caper fruit extract, and balanced diets were linked with positive outcomes. Based on the Functional Food Claim framework, all 26 studies met the quality criteria for novel foods. However, the novel food score varied, and results were inconsistent across different interventions. Conclusion: Although some plant-based interventions appear promising in managing T2D, the evidence remains inconclusive due to variability in study quality and methodology. Further high-quality RCTs are necessary to confirm these findings and to establish the optimal dosage, duration, and combinations of interventions for effective T2D management. Despite inconclusive results, few plant-based diets have promising outcomes. Healthcare providers, especially nurse case managers, can incorporate the findings of this study into their practice protocol to support self-management for individuals with TD2.

Thailand’s transition to high middle-income country status has been accompanied by demographic changes and associated shifts in the nation’s public health challenges. These changes have necessitated a significant shift in public health focus from the treatment of infectious diseases to the more expensive and protracted management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in older adults. In 2010, in response to this shift in focus, the University of Michigan and colleagues at the Praboromarajchanok Institute for Health Workforce Development in Thailand began work on a broad-based multi-institutional programme for NCD research capacity-building in Thailand. To begin to build a base of intervention research we paired our programme’s funded Thai postdoctoral fellows with United States mentors who have strong programmes of intervention research. One direct impact of the programme was the development of research ‘hubs’ focused upon similar areas of investigative focus such as self-management of cancer symptoms, self-management of HIV/AIDS and health technology information applications for use in community settings. Within these hubs, interventions with proven efficacy in the United States were used as a foundation for culturally relevant interventions in Thailand. The programme also aimed to develop the research support structures necessary within departments and colleges for grant writing and management, dissemination of new knowledge, and ethical conduct of human subject research. In an effort to capitalise on large national health datasets and big data now available in Thailand, several of the programme’s postdoctoral fellows began projects that use data science methods to mine this asset. The investigators involved in these ground-breaking projects form the core of a network of research hubs that will be able to capitalise on the availability of lifespan health data from across Thailand and provide a robust working foundation for expansion of research using data science approaches. Going forward, it is vitally important to leverage this groundwork in order to continue fostering rapid growth in NCD research and training as well as to capitalise upon these early gains to create a sustaining influence for Thailand to lead in NCD research, improve the health of its citizens, and provide ongoing leadership in Southeast Asia.

Background: Self-management plays a vital role in noncommunicable disease prevention and control. However, it has been challenging for patients and their caregivers to identify how much their lifestyle affects their health and what level of effort they should make to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks in everyday life. Therefore, knowing their own CVD risk and daily health-related situations will provide relevant information for self-management by those at risk. The need to help individuals understand their relevant information creates an opportunity to investigate whether and how to implement a combined digital and nurse-led self-management intervention in a real-world community setting. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a combined approach combining digital device support, including a smartwatch, a mobile app, and a salt meter, with nurse-led case management, on self-management behaviors and clinical outcomes. Methods: This study uses a combination of a nurse-led self-management with a digital and mobile health innovative approach, including tailored small group face-to-face education sessions, a smartwatch, a smartphone health app, and a salt meter, to increase the self-management behaviors to reduce vascular risk through designing and testing an integrated community-based strategy targeted at adults and older adults at risk of CVD in Thailand. The study uses a single-arm pretest-posttest design to assess the intervention’s effects. The intervention will consist of the following components: (1) an interactive face-to-face education session; (2) a real-time knowing your numbers strategy using a smartwatch, a smartphone health app, and a salt meter; (3) a mindfulness-based stress management strategy using Somporn Kantaradusdi-Triamchaisri technique meditation healing exercise; and (4) a self-management diary. Quantitative data will be collected using a smartwatch, a salt meter, a food diary, and questionnaires at baseline and at the end of week 6. Clinical outcomes will be assessed at baseline, primary end point (wk 12), and secondary end point (wk 24). Results: This study, funded in January 2025, will involve 45 patients. We received ethical approval on May 31, 2024, and began recruitment for participation in May 2025. Researchers will collect, analyze, and synthesize to evaluate the study procedure. We expect to complete data collection by December 2025, with the first results submitted for publication in March 2026. Conclusions: The implementation of a combined digital device and nurse-led case management may identify the use of digital health to support self-management and improve vascular health. The findings of this study will provide insights for a large-scale randomized controlled trial and for ongoing improvements in the noncommunicable disease care system.