Impoverished PopulationNCT07691398
An mHealth-based Healthcare Professional-Lay Health Worker Partnership Program (mHLPP)
A study testing mHealth-Based Healthcare Professional-Lay Health Worker Partnership Program (mHLPP) in people with Impoverished Population and Older Adults (60 - 85 Years Old), run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
The project aimed at training female food delivery workers from Food Angel to perform basic health checks for older adults living alone in the community. After undergoing training, the female delivery workers will be equipped with basic health knowledge and the ability to measure physical vital signs, including blood… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Impoverished Population, Older Adults (60 - 85 Years Old)
- What is being tested?
- mHealth-Based Healthcare Professional-Lay Health Worker Partnership Program (mHLPP)
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 230 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 5 Apr 2024to 30 Nov 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 60 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- age 60 or over
- member of the NGO (implying that they are not receiving any Government subsidize and their monthly income is less than HKD$ 6,050)
- living within the service area of the NGO
- able to sign an informed consent.
Who cannot join
- being diagnosed with dementia
- inability to communicate
- being bed-bound
- having an active psychiatric illness with recent hospital admission within the last six months
- being already engaged in other mHealth studies.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: A Feasibility Study of an mHealth-based Healthcare Professional-Lay Health Worker Partnership Program (mHLPP) Among Community-dwelling Impoverished Older Adults
The project aimed at training female food delivery workers from Food Angel to perform basic health checks for older adults living alone in the community.
After undergoing training, the female delivery workers will be equipped with basic health knowledge and the ability to measure physical vital signs, including blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, and pulse and pain indices, for around 100 older adults when they visit them to deliver meals. The health data collected by the delivery workers will be uploaded to the mHealth monitoring platform developed by Prof. Arkers Wong's research team. Registered nurses (RNs) will be given access to the platform to evaluate the health status of the older adults. When needed, an RN will give in-depth personal care and interventions via the mHealth app to the older adults. Referrals to allied health professionals or social workers can also be made by the RNs for early interventions.
Read more
The team hope that this first-of-its-kind grassroots community health model, undertaken in combination with the Health-Social Partnership, will provide scientific research evidence for the Hong Kong government to consider introducing the mHealth app and the service model to the community as a way to strengthen primary healthcare.
The mHealth app is a pilot health management mobile app with an interactive nurse support function. The app enables nurses to monitor the health status of users and allow users to communicate with nurses when they have health concerns. Research findings released by the team in March 2023 showed that older adults' use of the app for 3 to 6 months resulted in a significant increase in self-efficacy, a significant decrease in depression levels, a reduction in the use of medical services, and an improvement in quality of life.
- Being tested
- mHealth-Based Healthcare Professional-Lay Health Worker Partnership Program (mHLPP)
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
mHealth-Based Healthcare Professional-Lay Health Worker Partnership Program (mHLPP)Other
The participants are able to receive the services offered by this program. During the six-month program, the lay health workers deliver the free meal provided by Food Angel at the participants' home and measure the participants' vital signs including blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, and pain level (if any), and they upload the results to the mHealth app subsequently. During the 6-month program, the participants receive eleven home visits from a nurse. During the first month, the nurse visit the participants weekly. The nurse visit the participants twice a week for two and three months. The nurse only visit the participants once a month between the fourth and sixth month. The nurse conduct a comprehensive health assessment and establish some health goals with the participants during the home visit. She formulate an individual care plan, and record them on the app for the lay health worker to follow-up.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| mHealth-based Healthcare professional-Lay health worker Partnership Program (mHLPP) | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: mHealth-Based Healthcare Professional-Lay Health Worker Partnership Program (mHLPP) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Feasibility of the program implementation: implementation facilitators/barriers and acceptability
Three separated semi-structured group interviews with healthcare professionals, lay health workers, and older adults will be conducted to explore their views on facilitating, hindering factors, and the acceptability of implementing the program in the community at six months.
Measured: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Feasibility of the program implementation: safety
Incidence of report of adverse events that is encountered by the older adults, lay health workers, and healthcare professionals will be measured to assess the safety of the program.
Measured: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Feasibility of the program implementation: fidelity
A performance checklist that developed by the research team according to the workflow of the program will be used to identify whether the program is implemented as intended. The principal investigator of the research team will pay random quality assurance visits to evaluate whether the provided interventions are adhered to the planned content, duration, and frequency of the contact sessions.
Measured: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Feasibility of the study methods: program reach
The number of older adults and lay health workers who are eligible, invited, excluded, and enrolled to participate in the program will be counted and compared to non-participants on key demographic data such as age, sociodemographic background, and living area.
Measured: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Feasibility of the study methods: feasibility of recruitment procedures and eligibility criteria
The project manager of the study will be asked about the feasibility of the recruitment procedures, and the appropriateness of the eligibility criteria.
Measured: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Feasibility of the study methods: feasibility of data collection and analysis method
The research assistants will provide feedback on the length, clarity and acceptability of focus group interview questions and quantitative questionnaires, and ease of collecting data. The principal investigator of the research team will and review the results from the focus groups interviews for indications of important issues relating to data collection or analysis.
Measured: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Secondary outcomes (9)
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: Blood pressure
Blood pressure measurement will be performed after 10 minutes of sitting rest. A standard electronic sphygmomanometer will be used to measure supine blood pressure on the right arm of each candidate (unless contraindicated). The results on blood pressure will be divided into systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Measured: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: HbA1c
HbA1c is a standard assessment of glycemia and refers to the mean blood glucose levels over the previous 2 to 3 months.
Measured: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: fasting lipid
Fasting lipid profile includes cholesterol level, and high- and low-density lipoprotein. Both HbA1c and the fasting lipid profile will be drawn from participants' blood from their fingers at the third and sixth month when nurses have the home visits.
Measured: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: body mass index (BMI)
BMI results from dividing a subject's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters.
Measured: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: quality of life
Quality of life will be measured by the version 2 of the 12-item Short Form Health Survey.
Measured: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: perceived social support
Perceived social support will be evaluated using the 32-item Chinese version of the Perceived Social Support Scale for Older Adults.
Measured: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: self-care ability
Self-care ability will be measured by the Chinese version of the Self-care Ability Scale for the Elderly (SASE).
Measured: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: client empowerment
Client empowerment will be evaluated by the Chinese version of the Client Empowerment Scale (CCES).
Measured: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: health service utilization
The outcomes of health services utilization include the total number of unscheduled visits to general out-patient departments, general practitioners (GP), emergency departments, and hospitals, and the total health service attendance. The information will be relied on the appointment letter and the report from the subjects.
Measured: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted8 Jul 2026
- Study start5 Apr 2024
- Primary completion30 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Nov 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Impoverished PopulationStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 230 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Li Ka Shing Foundation
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Arkers, Wong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07691398
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Z-JNT
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 29 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 8 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Wong AKC, Liu T, Liu LZ, Bayuo J, Tao X, Wong FKY. Healthcare and Social Needs of Older Adults in Underserved Urban Communities: Insights from Community Health Workers. J Urban Health. 2025 Oct;102(5):1057-1068. doi: 10.1007/s11524-025-01011-9.
PubMed 41015613
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Feasibility Study of an mHealth-based Healthcare Professional-Lay Health Worker Partnership Program (mHLPP) Among Community-dwelling Impoverished Older Adults
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07691398
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Z-JNT
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 230 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Li Ka Shing Foundation
- Study start
- 5 Apr 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Nov 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 8 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The project aimed at training female food delivery workers from Food Angel to perform basic health checks for older adults living alone in the community.
After undergoing training, the female delivery workers will be equipped with basic health knowledge and the ability to measure physical vital signs, including blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, and pulse and pain indices, for around 100 older adults when they visit them to deliver meals. The health data collected by the delivery workers will be uploaded to the mHealth monitoring platform developed by Prof. Arkers Wong's research team. Registered nurses (RNs) will be given access to the platform to evaluate the health status of the older adults. When needed, an RN will give in-depth personal care and interventions via the mHealth app to the older adults. Referrals to allied health professionals or social workers can also be made by the RNs for early interventions.
The team hope that this first-of-its-kind grassroots community health model, undertaken in combination with the Health-Social Partnership, will provide scientific research evidence for the Hong Kong government to consider introducing the mHealth app and the service model to the community as a way to strengthen primary healthcare.
The mHealth app is a pilot health management mobile app with an interactive nurse support function. The app enables nurses to monitor the health status of users and allow users to communicate with nurses when they have health concerns. Research findings released by the team in March 2023 showed that older adults' use of the app for 3 to 6 months resulted in a significant increase in self-efficacy, a significant decrease in depression levels, a reduction in the use of medical services, and an improvement in quality of life.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| mHealth-based Healthcare professional-Lay health worker Partnership Program (mHLPP) | Experimental | Other: mHealth-Based Healthcare Professional-Lay Health Worker Partnership Program (mHLPP) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 60 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- age 60 or over
- member of the NGO (implying that they are not receiving any Government subsidize and their monthly income is less than HKD$ 6,050)
- living within the service area of the NGO
- able to sign an informed consent.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- being diagnosed with dementia
- inability to communicate
- being bed-bound
- having an active psychiatric illness with recent hospital admission within the last six months
- being already engaged in other mHealth studies.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| mHealth-Based Healthcare Professional-Lay Health Worker Partnership Program (mHLPP)The participants are able to receive the services offered by this program. During the six-month program, the lay health workers deliver the free meal provided by Food Angel at the participants' home and measure the participants' vital signs including blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, and pain level (if any), and they upload the results to the mHealth app subsequently. During the 6-month program, the participants receive eleven home visits from a nurse. During the first month, the nurse visit the participants weekly. The nurse visit the participants twice a week for two and three months. The nurse only visit the participants once a month between the fourth and sixth month. The nurse conduct a comprehensive health assessment and establish some health goals with the participants during the home visit. She formulate an individual care plan, and record them on the app for the lay health worker to follow-up. | Other | mHealth-based Healthcare professional-Lay health worker Partnership Program (mHLPP) |
Primary outcome
Feasibility of the program implementation: implementation facilitators/barriers and acceptability
Time frame: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Three separated semi-structured group interviews with healthcare professionals, lay health workers, and older adults will be conducted to explore their views on facilitating, hindering factors, and the acceptability of implementing the program in the community at six months.
Feasibility of the program implementation: safety
Time frame: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Incidence of report of adverse events that is encountered by the older adults, lay health workers, and healthcare professionals will be measured to assess the safety of the program.
Feasibility of the program implementation: fidelity
Time frame: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.
A performance checklist that developed by the research team according to the workflow of the program will be used to identify whether the program is implemented as intended. The principal investigator of the research team will pay random quality assurance visits to evaluate whether the provided interventions are adhered to the planned content, duration, and frequency of the contact sessions.
Feasibility of the study methods: program reach
Time frame: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.
The number of older adults and lay health workers who are eligible, invited, excluded, and enrolled to participate in the program will be counted and compared to non-participants on key demographic data such as age, sociodemographic background, and living area.
Feasibility of the study methods: feasibility of recruitment procedures and eligibility criteria
Time frame: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.
The project manager of the study will be asked about the feasibility of the recruitment procedures, and the appropriateness of the eligibility criteria.
Feasibility of the study methods: feasibility of data collection and analysis method
Time frame: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.
The research assistants will provide feedback on the length, clarity and acceptability of focus group interview questions and quantitative questionnaires, and ease of collecting data. The principal investigator of the research team will and review the results from the focus groups interviews for indications of important issues relating to data collection or analysis.
9 secondary outcomes
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: Blood pressure
Time frame: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: HbA1c
Time frame: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: fasting lipid
Time frame: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: body mass index (BMI)
Time frame: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: quality of life
Time frame: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: perceived social support
Time frame: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: self-care ability
Time frame: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: client empowerment
Time frame: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Preliminary effectiveness on older adults: health service utilization
Time frame: Baseline assessments (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after baseline.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Jul 2026.
- Results publication: PubMed 41015613Wong AKC, Liu T, Liu LZ, Bayuo J, Tao X, Wong FKY. Healthcare and Social Needs of Older Adults in Underserved Urban Communities: Insights from Community Health Workers. J Urban Health. 2025 Oct;102(5):1057-1068. doi: 10.1007/s11524-025-01011-9.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing mHealth-Based Healthcare Professional-Lay Health Worker Partnership Program (mHLPP) in people with Impoverished Population and Older Adults (60 - 85 Years Old), run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University at 1 site in Hong Kong.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Feasibility of the program implementation: implementation facilitators/barriers and acceptability (time frame: At 6 months (T3) after baseline.). The study lists 6 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07691398, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Jul 2026.