SAM-CKD Mobile App

Building SAM-CKD within an existing app rather than creating a new one made the approach both cost-efficient and time-efficient. The intervention is delivered over six weeks through participants' own Android smartphones. The SAM-CKD programme is the first mobile app-based symptom management programme for adults with CKD in Vietnam. The theoretical foundation of the SAM-CKD programme is the Theory of Symptom Management. Reporting a severe symptom in the app triggers a pop-up message advising the participant to contact their healthcare provider. The SAM-CKD programme is embedded within the existing Smart Kidney app, which was developed in Vietnam through a co-design process involving patients, caregivers, clinicians, IT developers, and researchers. The Smart Kidney app is available free on Google Play for Android and covers CKD diet, exercise, and disease management. After any symptom self-assessment, participants immediately receive management advice, and daily reminder notifications are sent but can be turned off.