Using a smartphone app to help people remember to take their blood pressure medication
Official title: mobile Cued Adherence Therapy (mCAT): a scalable habit formation intervention to improve blood pressure medication adherence based on a widely used smartphone app
Funded at Arizona State University-Tempe Campus · NIH-11142518 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a smartphone app can help people on Medicaid remember to take their blood pressure medicine by letting them earn rewards for showing they took their pills each day, making it easier to stick to their treatment plan.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Arizona State University-Tempe Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tempe, United States) |
| Project start | July 22, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $738,713 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL171706-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11142518 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults over 21 years old who are enrolled in Medicaid and have difficulty adhering to their blood pressure medication regimen.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are already consistently adhering to their blood pressure medication or those not enrolled in Medicaid may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how a smartphone app can improve adherence to blood pressure medication among individuals, particularly those enrolled in Medicaid. By utilizing the Wellth app, participants can earn incentives for providing photographic proof of their daily pill intake. The study aims to understand how these incentives and the formation of habits can help maintain long-term medication adherence, which is crucial for managing hypertension effectively. The approach combines behavioral economics with technology to address the challenges of medication adherence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve blood pressure control and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases for patients who struggle with medication adherence.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that incentive-based approaches can improve medication adherence, suggesting that this method may be effective, although the specific application with the Wellth app is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
Tempe, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stecher, Chad Daniel — Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
- Study coordinator: Stecher, Chad Daniel
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
mCAT: a mobile habit-forming tool to help adults take blood pressure meds regularly
A smartphone app-based program helps adults with hypertension, especially Medicaid enrollees, form lasting habits to take their blood pressure medications.
-
Actions to Decrease Disparities in Blood Pressure Control for Blacks
Aiming to help Black patients manage high blood pressure by using nurses, community health workers, and home monitoring in real-world clinics.
-
Cognitive behavioral therapy and trazodone for insomnia phenotypes with high blood pressure
A clinical study tests how CBT-I and the sleep drug trazodone work for adults with insomnia and high blood pressure, focusing on a specific sleep duration pattern.
-
Music-powered tools to boost blood pressure and stroke prevention for Nigerian youth and their older caregivers
This project uses popular music to help Nigerian youths and their older family members start and stick to blood pressure and stroke prevention habits.
-
Understanding why patients with blood cancers start and stick with oral cancer medicines
A study to learn what helps or hinders Black patients with blood cancers in starting and continuing their prescribed oral cancer medicines.
-
Non-invasive, continuous blood pressure monitoring for prenatal maternal health
A wearable device from PyrAmes uses comfortable, non-invasive sensors and smart software to constantly monitor a pregnant person’s blood pressure and heart health so doctors can protect both mom and baby.
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.