WhatsApp messages to help people act on heart risk results in Malaysia
Tests WhatsApp messages to prompt heart-health actions in adults at moderate or high heart risk.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Digital Nudges to Improve Heart Health Actions After Community Screening in Malaysia (NADI-MyHeartRisk)
Key facts
- Where
- Cyberjaya and Sungai Buloh, MalaysiaSee the 2 sites
AI summary: who the study is looking for
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for Malaysian adults found to have moderate or high heart disease risk at a community NADI centre screening. Half will get personalised WhatsApp messages for 90 days.
- Age
- 18 years or older
- Sex
- All sexes can join.
- Disease stage
- Moderate heart risk (10% to under 20%) or high heart risk (20% or more) on the Framingham Risk Score in MyHeartRisk. Some people count as high risk without a score: known atherosclerotic heart or vessel disease, diabetes with protein in the urine or a major risk factor, or kidney disease stage 4 or worse.
Main reasons for not taking part
- Cannot give the minimum data needed for the MyHeartRisk calculation (age, sex, blood pressure, smoking status)
- No reliable phone number for follow-up
- Acutely unwell and in need of immediate medical attention
- Cannot understand the study in Bahasa Malaysia or English
Read by machine on 9 November 2026.
Where in Malaysia
- National Information Dissemination Centre (NADI) and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)Cyberjaya, MalaysiaNo longer taking part
- Cardiovascular Advancement Research Excellence Institute (CARE Institute)Sungai Buloh, MalaysiaNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Cardiovascular Advancement and Research Excellence Institute
- Trial code
- NCT07879144
- Record updated
- 16 October 2026
- Original description
This is a pragmatic, risk-stratified, individually randomized controlled trial testing whether personalised WhatsApp-based digital behavioural nudges can improve completion of cardiovascular preventive actions after community risk screening at NADI centres in Malaysia.Read full original descriptionShow less
Personalised Digital Behavioural Nudges to Improve Cardiovascular Preventive Action After Community Risk Screening in Malaysia: Protocol for the NADI-MyHeartRisk Randomised Trial
This is a pragmatic, risk-stratified, individually randomized controlled trial testing whether personalised WhatsApp-based digital behavioural nudges can improve completion of cardiovascular preventive actions after community risk screening at NADI centres in Malaysia.
Adults attending participating NADI centres will be screened using the MyHeartRisk web-based cardiovascular risk assessment tool. All screened participants will receive their risk result, standard risk explanation and general heart-health education. Participants classified as high cardiovascular risk will also receive a referral letter advising healthcare provider review.
Participants classified as moderate or high cardiovascular risk will be randomized 1:1 to either a personalised digital nudge arm or a no-nudge control arm. The nudge arm will receive scheduled WhatsApp messages over 90 days, including action prompts, reminders, engagement check-ins and barrier-solving messages. The control arm will receive standard risk feedback and referral-letter generation where indicated, but no scheduled behavioural nudges.
The primary outcome is completion of a risk-appropriate cardiovascular preventive action within 90 days. For moderate-risk participants, this may include completion of blood pressure, glucose or lipid checks, medication review, or healthcare provider review. For high-risk participants, this is attendance at a healthcare provider after receiving the MyHeartRisk referral letter. Low-risk participants will receive standard feedback and may be followed descriptively, but they will not be randomized or included in the primary randomized analysis.
Inclusion: Malaysian citizens; Aged 18 years or older; Classified as moderate (≥ 10% to < 20%) or high (≥ 20%) cardiovascular risk by the Framingham Risk Score within the MyHeartRisk platform; Participants classified as high risk without calculation of an FRS, within the high-risk stratum:; established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; diabetes mellitus with proteinuria or with a major risk factor such as smoking, hypertension or dyslipidaemia; ≥Stage 4 CKD; Able to provide their own or consenting carer/next-of-kin mobile number for follow-up; Has a WhatsApp-capable mobile phone (own or consenting carer/next of kin); Willing to be contacted at Day 30 and Day 90 for study-related follow-up and outcome assessment; Able to provide minimum required cardiovascular risk data, including age, sex, blood pressure, and smoking status; Able to provide informed consent in Bahasa Malaysia or English.
Exclusion: Unable to provide minimum required data fields for MyHeartRisk calculation; No reliable contact number available for any form of follow-up; Acutely unwell at time of screening and requires immediate medical attention (these individuals should be directed to emergency services without delay); Unable to understand study procedures and behavioural nudges in Bahasa Malaysia or English.