Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p> <bold>Background:</bold> Smartphone application interventions are helpful tools to improve self-care of patients with chronic diseases such as Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A mobile app-assisted self-care interventions were developed for patients with NAFLD then a randomized controlled trial was conducted to examine its effectiveness on lifestyle and laboratory indices. <bold>Methods</bold> : A randomized clinical trial done on the 68 NAFLD Patients. They were assigned randomly in two Control and Intervention groups. Self-care application was developed and implemented for Intervention group about 3 months. Data were gathered by lifestyle questionnaire. It was completed before, one, two and three months after the intervention by patients of both groups. Before and after intervention lipid profile, liver function tests, FBS and CBC of patients were measured. Telephone follow-up was performed. Data was analyzed using SPSS16 software and chi-square, T tests, variance with repeated measures and MacNemar’ statistical tests. <bold>Results:</bold> Average of lifestyle score one (p=0.017), two (p=0.001) and three (p=0.001) months, Chol (p=0.008), insulin (P<0.001) and HOMA index (p=0.008) in both groups had a significant difference after using application as intervention. Although, there was significant difference in lifestyle in both control (CG) (p<0.001) and experimental group (EG) (p<0.001) after the intervention. In the EG, there was a statistically significant difference in TG (p=0.008), Chol (p=0.001), HDL(p=0.001), LDL(p=0.004), insulin(p=0.008), AST(p=0.039) and ALT (p =0.002) and while in the CG in terms of FBS(p=0.013), ALT(p=0.016) after the intervention. <bold>Conclusion</bold> : Employing self-care application could improve lifestyle and liver laboratory indicators in NAFLD patients and can be used as part of health promotion programs for these patients. Nowadays, using such applications routinely can promote self-care of chronic patients. <bold>Trial Registration:</bold> Current Controlled Trials is IRCT20190518043614N1 and the date of registration is 2019-06-15 (https://fa.irct.ir/user/trial/39610/view). </p>