Work

Association Between a Nurse-Led Mobile Health Intervention and Medication Adherence and Self-Management in Patients After Hair Transplantation: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Medication adherence after hair transplantation is vital for graft survival and alopecia control, yet adherence to these regimens remains low in routine practice. Nurse-led mHealth shows promise but lacks hair transplant evidence. Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included 200 patients undergoing FUE or FUT at a Chinese hair restoration center (January 2024-June 2025). Those enrolled in a nurse-led mHealth program (n=100) were compared with contemporaneous controls receiving standard care (n=100). Outcomes were extracted from electronic records and the mHealth database. The primary outcome was MARS-5-based medication adherence at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included self-management scores (SMS), DLQI, graft survival, complications, and satisfaction. Results: At 6 months, the intervention cohort had higher MARS-5 scores than controls (21.55±3.00 vs 13.15±3.78; MD 8.40, 95% CI 7.45-9.35; P<0.001), and higher SMS (77.47±13.33 vs 52.02±14.28; P<0.001), lower DLQI (7.71±4.40 vs 13.98±4.90; P<0.001). High adherence rates were 68% vs 3% (P<0.001). Graft survival was superior (91.99±3.67% vs 87.37±4.87%; P<0.001). mHealth participation was the strongest predictor of adherence (beta=8.612, P<0.001); the association persisted after propensity-score inverse probability weighting (adjusted MD 8.64, 95% CI 7.63-9.65; P<0.001) and in mixed-effects repeated-measures models (cohort-by-time interaction P<0.001). Conclusion: A multicomponent nurse-led digital follow-up program was associated with improved adherence, self-management, quality of life, and graft survival post-hair transplantation. These findings support prospective validation of such programs before routine integration into postoperative protocols.

Source: Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology

DOI: 10.2147/ccid.s646672

Authors: Lu Xu, Haihua Chen, Yali Wu, Shichang Liu, Li Ning

Institution: Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Westlake University, School of Medicine

Language: English

Topic: Mobile Health and mHealth Applications

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,836