Helping heart failure patients take their medications with family support and clear information
Official title: Improving medication adherence using family-focused and literacy-sensitive strategies in patients with heart failure
Funded at University of Tennessee Knoxville · NIH-11269403 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project helps patients with heart failure and their family members work together to make sure medications are taken correctly, aiming to improve health and prevent hospital stays.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Knoxville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Knoxville, United States) |
| Project start | August 31, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $504,690 |
| NIH project number | 7R01NR020478-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11269403 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with heart failure who struggle with taking their medications as prescribed and have a family member or care partner willing to participate.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who already consistently take their medications or do not have a care partner to involve may not receive direct benefit from this specific intervention.
What this research studies
Many people with heart failure find it hard to stick to their medication schedule, which can lead to serious health problems and hospital visits. This project aims to create a new program, called FamLit, that helps patients and their family caregivers understand and manage medications better. Nurses will deliver this program using easy-to-understand language and interactive methods like coaching and role-playing. The goal is to give patients and their families the tools and support they need to consistently take medications and improve overall health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could help patients with heart failure stay healthier, reduce their need for hospital visits, and improve their quality of life by making medication management easier.
How similar studies have gone: While some previous interventions have shown small, short-term improvements in medication adherence, this approach is novel in combining literacy-sensitive and family-focused strategies for sustained effects.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Knoxville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Jia-Rong — University of Tennessee Knoxville
- Study coordinator: Wu, Jia-Rong
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Predicting medication use in heart failure
This project will use electronic health records and pharmacy refill data to build a computer model that predicts whether people with heart failure are likely to miss their medications.
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Improving how heart failure patients take their medications with family support and easy-to-understand strategies
This study is all about helping heart failure patients take their medications correctly by involving their families and using easy-to-understand methods, like fun sessions with nurses that include coaching and role-playing, to make sure everyone is on the same page and feels supported.
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Helping older adults with heart failure stick to their medication plans.
This study is looking to help older adults with heart failure stick to their medication by connecting it to what really matters to them in life, making it feel more meaningful and motivating.
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Helping older adults with heart failure stick to their medication during rehabilitation
This study is looking for ways to help older adults with heart failure stick to their medication while they go through cardiac rehab by helping them connect their medicine to what matters most to them in life.
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AI-supported heart failure diagnosis and management in Rwanda
Aiming to help people with suspected heart failure in Rwanda get faster, more accurate diagnoses and better care using AI-guided ultrasound and care protocols.
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AI-assisted heart failure diagnosis in Rwanda using focused ultrasound
An NIH-funded project will test whether AI-enhanced, easy-to-use heart ultrasound can help non-experts diagnose and manage heart failure in Rwanda.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.