Timeliness-incentive home health management for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

Table 1 Intervention program based on time-sensitive incentive theory

Themes	Objective	Content	Form
Emotional motivation	To establish the confidence in patients to overcome the disease and enhance their motivation to adopt healthy behaviors	(1) Introduce the objectives and procedures of home management based on the theory of timeliness incentives, as well as arrangements for related online meetings; (2) Assess the patient's attitude towards the disease and provide psychological counseling if there is anxiety; and (3) Involve family members in the management process to offer psychological support and to supervise and encourage the patient	Face-to-face communication; WeChat group
Need-based motivation	To ensure that patients have a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the disease, and to enable them to continue receiving professional management plans and timely answers to their questions outside the hospital	(1) Popularizing disease-related knowledge via Tencent meetings, thereby enabling patients to recognize the impact of healthy behaviors, such as diet and exercise, on their condition and enhancing their motivation to adopt healthier practices; (2) Encourage patients to share their diet and exercise within the WeChat group, fostering a supportive environment for mutual communication and supervision; and (3) Provide timely responses to any queries raised by patients	WeChat group, patient communication, Tencent meeting
Role-model motivation	By sharing successful case examples, the research team illustrate to patients that adopting and sustaining healthy behaviors can lead to significant improvements or even complete remission of the disease, thereby increasing patients' self-management compliance	(1) Monthly, 1-2 patients under management are selected to share their experiences online, encouraging all managed patients to adopt and maintain healthy behaviors; and (2) During each session, 3-5 patients are randomly selected to discuss the support they have received and any challenges or obstacles they have faced in maintaining healthy behaviors	WeChat group, Tencent meeting
Benefit motivation	Enable patients to more directly comprehend the crucial value of effective self-management for the disease	(1) Elucidate the multifaceted impact of the disease on the individual, family, and society; (2) Analyze the economic and interest-related benefits of health behaviors for patients; and (3) Offer free MASLD-related examinations1 to patients who demonstrate monthly exercise management compliance, thereby encouraging the maintenance of healthy lifestyle habits	Face-to-face communication; WeChat group

¹Complimentary assessments comprised hepatic ultrasonography, body-composition analysis, liver-fibrosis evaluation, physical-fitness testing, and dietary-plan revision. All investigations were conducted within our department, and expenses for non-complimentary investigations were covered by our departmental budget.

MASLD: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.