Key Potentials of mHealth for Community-Based Early Detection of Cardiovascular Disease During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background The epidemiological transition from infectious to non-communicable disease (NCD) is characterized by an increasing incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a significant decline in NCD screening and treatment activities in health centers. This study aims to revive and expand the coverage of NCD control programs, from the elderly to productive age groups, through the use of mHealth for the early detection of CVD, which is also provides health promotion media that is easily accessible. Methods This research is an operational study to develop a community-based early detection mechanism for CVD using mHealth during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Babakan Madang sub-district, Bogor district. Results The use of the mHealth application supported by community participation is proven to be able to reach the productive age population significantly (87.1%) in the Babakan Madang sub-district. The mHealth application simplifies CVD risk predictions so that it can be used by the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion This application is also very well accepted by the community and is able to provide personalized health promotions.