My Diabetes Coach, a Mobile App–Based Interactive Conversational Agent to Support Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management: Randomized Effectiveness-Implementation Trial

Background Delivering self-management support to people with type 2 diabetes mellitus is essential to reduce the health system burden and to empower people with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to take an active role in managing their own health. Objective This study aims to evaluate the adoption, use, and effectiveness of the My Diabetes Coach (MDC) program, an app-based interactive embodied conversational agent, Laura, designed to support diabetes self-management in the home setting over 12 months. Methods This randomized controlled trial evaluated both the implementation and effectiveness of the MDC program. Adults with type 2 diabetes in Australia were recruited and randomized to the intervention arm (MDC) or the control arm (usual care). Program use was tracked over 12 months. Coprimary outcomes included changes in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Data were assessed at baseline and at 6 and 12 months, and analyzed using linear mixed-effects regression models. Results A total of 187 adults with type 2 diabetes (mean 57 years, SD 10 years; 41.7% women) were recruited and randomly allocated to the intervention (n=93) and control (n=94) arms. MDC program users (92/93 participants) completed 1942 chats with Laura, averaging 243 min (SD 212) per person over 12 months. Compared with baseline, the mean estimated HbA1c decreased in both arms at 12 months (intervention: 0.33% and control: 0.20%), but the net differences between the two arms in change of HbA1c (−0.04%, 95% CI −0.45 to 0.36; P=.83) was not statistically significant. At 12 months, HRQoL utility scores improved in the intervention arm, compared with the control arm (between-arm difference: 0.04, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.07; P=.04). Conclusions The MDC program was successfully adopted and used by individuals with type 2 diabetes and significantly improved the users’ HRQoL. These findings suggest the potential for wider implementation of technology-enabled conversation-based programs for supporting diabetes self-management. Future studies should focus on strategies to maintain program usage and HbA1c improvement. Trial Registration Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN) 12614001229662; https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12614001229662

Is this a full powered effectiveness trial or a pilot/feasibility trial?* Manuscript tracking number * If this is a JMIR submission, please provide the manuscript tracking number under "other" (The ms tracking number can be found in the submission acknowledgement email, or when you login as author in JMIR.If the paper is already published in JMIR, then the ms tracking number is the four-digit number at the end of the DOI, to be found at the bottom of each published article in JMIR) 1a) Does your paper address CONSORT item 1a? * I.e does the title contain the phrase "Randomized Controlled Trial"?(if not, explain the reason under "other") 5/11/2020 CONSORT-EHEALTH (V 1.6.1)-Submission/Publication Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dGl… 8/48 subitem not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 essential subitem not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 essential 1a-i) Identify the mode of delivery in the title Identify the mode of delivery.Preferably use "web-based" and/or "mobile" and/or "electronic game" in the title.Avoid ambiguous terms like "online", "virtual", "interactive".Use "Internet-based" only if Intervention includes non-web-based Internet components (e.g.email), use "computer-based" or "electronic" only if offline products are used.Use "virtual" only in the context of "virtual reality" (3-D worlds).Use "online" only in the context of "online support groups".Complement or substitute product names with broader terms for the class of products (such as "mobile" or "smart phone" instead of "iphone"), especially if the application runs on different platforms.
Does your paper address subitem 1a-i?* Copy and paste relevant sections from manuscript title (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study mobile application

1a-ii) Non-web-based components or important co-interventions in title
Mention non-web-based components or important co-interventions in title, if any (e.g., "with telephone support").

Does your paper address subitem 1a-ii?
Copy and paste relevant sections from manuscript title (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study usual care Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript abstract (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study My Diabetes Coach (MDC) program, an app-based interactive embodied conversational agent 'Laura', designed to support diabetes self-management in the home setting " 1b-ii) Level of human involvement in the METHODS section of the ABSTRACT Clarify the level of human involvement in the abstract, e.g., use phrases like "fully automated" vs. "therapist/nurse/care provider/physician-assisted" (mention number and expertise of providers involved, if any).(Note: Only report in the abstract what the main paper is reporting.If this information is missing from the main body of text, consider adding it) Does your paper address subitem 1b-ii?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript abstract (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study self-management in the home setting 1b-iii) Open vs. closed, web-based (self-assessment) vs. face-to-face assessments in the METHODS section of the ABSTRACT Does your paper address subitem 1b-iv?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript abstract (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript abstract (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "Future studies need to focus on strategies to maintain program usage and HbA1c improvement." 2a-i) Problem and the type of system/solution Describe the problem and the type of system/solution that is object of the study: intended as stand-alone intervention vs. incorporated in broader health care program?Intended for a particular patient population?Goals of the intervention, e.g., being more cost-effective to other interventions, replace or complement other solutions?(Note: Details about the intervention are provided in "Methods" under 5) Does your paper address subitem 2a-i?* Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "Delivering self-management support to people with T2DM is essential to reduce the health system burden and to empower people with the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to take an active role in managing their own health."Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "Adults (aged ≥18 years old) with diagnosed T2DM, registered with the National Diabetes Service Scheme (NDSS) for less than 10 years, with basic English language skills, who had access to an internet-enabled smart device with an up-to-date operating system (at least iOS 8.0 for Apple; 4.2 for Android) were eligible to participate in the study.Participants were ineligible if they were pregnant or planning to become pregnant, had severe comorbid conditions that would compromise their participation, or did not have stable doses of diabetes-related medication over the previous four weeks or more."

4a-i) Computer / Internet literacy
Computer / Internet literacy is often an implicit "de facto" eligibility criterion -this should be explicitly clarified.

Does your paper address subitem 4a-i?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "with basic English language skills, who had access to an internet-enabled smart device with an up-to-date operating system (at least iOS 8.0 for Apple; 4.2 for Android) were eligible to participate in the study." Open vs. closed, web-based vs. face-to-face assessments: Mention how participants were recruited (online vs. offline), e.g., from an open access website or from a clinic, and clarify if this was a purely webbased trial, or there were face-to-face components (as part of the intervention or for assessment), i.e., to what degree got the study team to know the participant.In online-only trials, clarify if participants were quasi-anonymous and whether having multiple identities was possible or whether technical or logistical measures (e.g., cookies, email confirmation, phone calls) were used to detect/prevent these.
Does your paper address subitem 4a-ii?* Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "To assist recruitment, on behalf of the research team, the NDSS sent invitation letters to registered adults with T2DM living in the Australian states of Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia.... Assessments of participants' clinical and psycho-behavioral data were collected following a standard protocol at baseline, 6 and 12 months.At each time point, the research team contacted participants in both arms via email to advise that data collection was required."

4a-iii) Information giving during recruitment
Information given during recruitment.Specify how participants were briefed for recruitment and in the informed consent procedures (e.g., publish the informed consent documentation as appendix, see also item X26), as this information may have an effect on user self-selection, user expectation and may also bias results.Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "Recruitment information was also posted on social media via the University of Melbourne website, Facebook, Twitter, and made available via Diabetes Australia and state-based diabetes organizations (e.g.newsletters or magazines).This approach enabled people from all Australian states or territories to enter the study.People who submitted an expression of interest were contacted by the research team by telephone within 48 hours to complete eligibility screening.Eligible participants who provided consent and completed the baseline survey were formally enrolled in the study." Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 4b? * Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Australia 4b-i) Report if outcomes were (self-)assessed through online questionnaires Clearly report if outcomes were (self-)assessed through online questionnaires (as common in web-based trials) or otherwise.

Does your paper address subitem 4b-i? *
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "The email contained a link to the online self-administered questionnaire via REDcap.The research team also requested clinical measures from participants and their GPs" Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study My Diabetes Coach, mentioned developer and developing process in appendix 5-ii) Describe the history/development process Describe the history/development process of the application and previous formative evaluations (e.g., focus groups, usability testing), as these will have an impact on adoption/use rates and help with interpreting results.

Does your paper address subitem 5-ii?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Appendix file

5-iii) Revisions and updating
Revisions and updating.Clearly mention the date and/or version number of the application/intervention (and comparator, if applicable) evaluated, or describe whether the intervention underwent major changes during the evaluation process, or whether the development and/or content was "frozen" during the trial.
Describe dynamic components such as news feeds or changing content which may have an impact on the replicability of the intervention (for unexpected events see item 3b).Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Appendix

5-vi) Digital preservation
Digital preservation: Provide the URL of the application, but as the intervention is likely to change or disappear over the course of the years; also make sure the intervention is archived (Internet Archive, webcitation.org,and/or publishing the source code or screenshots/videos alongside the article).As pages behind login screens cannot be archived, consider creating demo pages which are accessible without login.

Does your paper address subitem 5-vi?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study NA

5-vii) Access
Access: Describe how participants accessed the application, in what setting/context, if they had to pay (or were paid) or not, whether they had to be a member of specific group.If known, describe how participants obtained "access to the platform and Internet" [1].To ensure access for editors/reviewers/readers, consider to provide a "backdoor" login account or demo mode for reviewers/readers to explore the application (also important for archiving purposes, see vi).Does your paper address subitem 5-ix?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "Participants were encouraged to use the app weekly to complete online modules by chatting with 'Laura' or touching buttons on the screen."

5-x) Clarify the level of human involvement
Clarify the level of human involvement (care providers or health professionals, also technical assistance) in the e-intervention or as co-intervention (detail number and expertise of professionals involved, if any, as well as "type of assistance offered, the timing and frequency of the support, how it is initiated, and the medium by which the assistance is delivered".It may be necessary to distinguish between the level of human involvement required for the trial, and the level of human involvement required for a routine application outside of a RCT setting (discuss under item 21 -generalizability).

Does your paper address subitem 5-x?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "The co-primary outcomes were changes (12 months compared to baseline) in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which were examined in terms of between-arm differences.The secondary timepoint of analysis examined the change between baseline and 6-month.HbA1c (reported as % and mmol/mol) was measured through a pathology blood test that each participant's GP requested.

Does your paper address subitem 6a-ii?
Copy and paste relevant sections from manuscript text "Program adoption and use were tracked using the program management portal.The key metrics included the number of completed chats with 'Laura', the total duration of chats, and the number of blood glucose levels uploaded by participants.Other metrics included the number of technical and clinical alerts generated by the system for the project coordinator and the number of posts on the online discussion forum of the MDC website." 6a-iii) Describe whether, how, and when qualitative feedback from participants was obtained Describe whether, how, and when qualitative feedback from participants was obtained (e.g., through emails, feedback forms, interviews, focus groups).
your paper address subitem 6a-iii?
Copy and paste relevant sections from manuscript text NA 7a) How sample size was determined NPT: When applicable, details of whether and how the clustering by care provides or centers was addressed subitem not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 essential 7b) When applicable, explanation of any interim analyses and stopping guidelines Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 6b? * Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study NA 7a-i) Describe whether and how expected attrition was taken into account when calculating the sample size Describe whether and how expected attrition was taken into account when calculating the sample size.

Does your paper address subitem 7a-i?
Copy and paste relevant sections from manuscript title (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Based on a previous study [30], we estimated that a sample of N=180 would provide 80% power at a two-tailed 5% significance level to detect a difference in HbA1c of 0.4% between the two arms with three repeated measures based on a previous study.This estimation assumed a 20% loss to follow-up, a standard deviation (SD) change of 1% in HbA1c and an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.6 within measurements from the same participant.Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "Participants were allocated at random to the intervention or control arm using a 2x4 blockrandomization sequence, programmed into a Redcap data management system [20], with the individual as the unit of randomization." Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 10? * Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "Participants were allocated at random to the intervention or control arm using a 2x4 blockrandomization sequence, programmed into a Redcap data management system [20], with the individual as the unit of randomization." 11a-i) Specify who was blinded, and who wasn't Does your paper address subitem 11a-i?* Copy and paste relevant sections from the (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "Due to the nature of the intervention, participants, their GPs and the program coordinator could not be blinded to participant study allocation.A statistician who performed the verification of the data analysis was blinded to the randomization." 11a-ii) Discuss e.g., whether participants knew which intervention was the "intervention of interest" and which one was the "comparator" Informed consent procedures (4a-ii) can create biases and certain expectations -discuss e.g., whether participants knew which intervention was the "intervention of interest" and which one was the "comparator".
your paper address subitem 11a-ii?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Open labeled 12a) Statistical methods used to compare groups for primary and secondary outcomes NPT: When applicable, details of whether and how the clustering by care providers or centers was addressed subitem not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 essential Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 11b? * Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "Despite the growing number of studies using mobile technologies for diabetes management [10,11,15], the effectiveness of introducing apps to people with T2DM to support their self-management at large-scale remains uncertain given the generally poor quality of apps [32], unmet consumer needs [14], and studies lacking robust designs with long-term evaluations [10,15]."

Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 12a? *
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "The analysis fitted a linear mixed-effect model for repeated measures over three time points of data collection with a random intercept for the participant and fixed effects for study arm, time point and study arm-by-time interaction."

12a-i) Imputation techniques to deal with attrition / missing values
Imputation techniques to deal with attrition / missing values: Not all participants will use the intervention/comparator as intended and attrition is typically high in ehealth trials.Specify how participants who did not use the application or dropped out from the trial were treated in the statistical analysis (a complete case analysis is strongly discouraged, and simple imputation techniques such as LOCF may also be problematic [4]).subitem not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 essential Does your paper address subitem 12a-i?* Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study na Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 12b? * Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Post-hoc subgroup analyses were conducted based on age, sex, baseline HbA1c and NDSS registration duration by adding the subgroup variable and its interaction term with the variable of the interaction between intervention and assessment point as fixed effects to the mixed-effect models used for the main analysis.

X26-i) Comment on ethics committee approval
subitem not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 essential subitem not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 essential Does your paper address subitem X26-i?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "Full ethics approval was granted by the University of Melbourne's Human Research Ethics Committee (Ethics ID 1442433). ."

x26-ii) Outline informed consent procedures
Outline informed consent procedures e.g., if consent was obtained offline or online (how?Checkbox, etc.?), and what information was provided (see 4a-ii).See [6] for some items to be included in informed consent documents.
your paper address subitem X26-ii?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "Participants provided their written informed consent and returned this to the research team via email or fax, including permission for their general practitioners (GPs) to regularly share clinical data with the study team"

X26-iii) Safety and security procedures
Safety and security procedures, incl.privacy considerations, and any steps taken to reduce the likelihood or detection of harm (e.g., education and training, availability of a hotline)

RESULTS
13a) For each group, the numbers of participants who were randomly assigned, received intended treatment, and were analysed for the primary outcome NPT: The number of care providers or centers performing the intervention in each group and the number of patients treated by each care provider in each center 13b) For each group, losses and exclusions after randomisation, together with reasons Does your paper address subitem X26-iii?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study na Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 13a? * Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study The intervention and control arms (n=93 and n=94 respectively) Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 13b? (NOTE: Preferably, this is shown in a CONSORT flow diagram) * Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study your paper address subitem 13b-i?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript or cite the figure number if applicable (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Figure 1 Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 14a? * Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study recruited between June 2016 and April 2017 in Australia.
14a-i) Indicate if critical "secular events" fell into the study period Indicate if critical "secular events" fell into the study period, e.g., significant changes in Internet resources available or "changes in computer hardware or Internet delivery resources" your paper address subitem 15-i?* Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Table 1 16-i) Report multiple "denominators" and provide definitions Report multiple "denominators" and provide definitions: Report N's (and effect sizes) "across a range of study participation [and use] thresholds" [1], e.g., N exposed, N consented, N used more than x times, N used more than y weeks, N participants "used" the intervention/comparator at specific pre-defined time points of interest (in absolute and relative numbers per group).Always clearly define "use" of the intervention.
your paper address subitem 16-i?* Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study subitem not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 essential 17a) For each primary and secondary outcome, results for each group, and the estimated effect size and its precision (such as 95% confidence interval) subitem not at all important 1 2 3 4 5 essential 16-ii) Primary analysis should be intent-to-treat Primary analysis should be intent-to-treat, secondary analyses could include comparing only "users", with the appropriate caveats that this is no longer a randomized sample (see 18-i).
Does your paper address subitem 16-ii?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Table 3 Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 17a? * Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Table 3 17a-i) Presentation of process outcomes such as metrics of use and intensity of use In addition to primary/secondary (clinical) outcomes, the presentation of process outcomes such as metrics of use and intensity of use (dose, exposure) and their operational definitions is critical.This does not only refer to metrics of attrition (13-b) (often a binary variable), but also to more continuous exposure metrics such as "average session length".These must be accompanied by a technical description how a metric like a "session" is defined (e.g., timeout after idle time) [1] (report under item 6a).
17b) For binary outcomes, presentation of both absolute and relative effect sizes is recommended 18) Results of any other analyses performed, including subgroup analyses and adjusted analyses, distinguishing pre-specified from exploratory Does your paper address subitem 17a-i?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study

20-i) Typical limitations in ehealth trials
Typical limitations in ehealth trials: Participants in ehealth trials are rarely blinded.Ehealth trials often look at a multiplicity of outcomes, increasing risk for a Type I error.Discuss biases due to non-use of the intervention/usability issues, biases through informed consent procedures, unexpected events.
your paper address subitem 20-i?* Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "First, due to the nature of the intervention, we were not able to blind participants or their GPs (who provided clinical measurements) to the study arm allocation.Without being able to blind participants, self-report bias and Hawthorne effects may exist."

21-i) Generalizability to other populations
Generalizability to other populations: In particular, discuss generalizability to a general Internet population, outside of a RCT setting, and general patient population, including applicability of the study results for other organizations Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "First, study participants were recruited from across Australia, with broad inclusion 'real world' relevant criteria and the program was delivered within their home settings.Thus, the sample is broadly representative of Australians with T2DM, and the study findings are likely to be generalizable and scalable." 21-ii) Discuss if there were elements in the RCT that would be different in a routine application setting X27-i) State the relation of the study team towards the system being evaluated In addition to the usual of interests (financial or otherwise), also state the relation of the study team towards the system being evaluated, i.e., state if the authors/evaluators are distinct from or identical with the developers/sponsors of the intervention.
your paper address subitem X27-i?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study stated As a result of using this checklist, did you make changes in your manuscript?* What were the most important changes you made as a result of using this checklist?
Primary condition or target group in the title Mention primary condition or target group in the title, if any (e.g., "for children with Type I Diabetes") Example: A Web-based and Mobile Intervention with Telephone Support for Children with Type I Diabetes: Randomized Controlled Trial Does your paper address subitem 1a-iii?*Copy and paste relevant sections from manuscript title (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study type 2 diabetes 1b-i) Key features/functionalities/components of the intervention and comparator in the METHODS section of the ABSTRACT Mention key features/functionalities/components of the intervention and comparator in the abstract.If possible, also mention theories and principles used for designing the site.Keep in mind the needs of systematic reviewers and indexers by including important synonyms.(Note: Only report in the abstract what the main paper is reporting.If this information is missing from the main body of text, consider adding it) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dGl… 9/48 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 10/48 Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript abstract (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Report number of participants enrolled/assessed in each group, the use/uptake of the intervention (e.g., attrition/adherence metrics, use over time, number of logins etc.), in addition to primary/secondary outcomes.(Note: Only report in the abstract what the main paper is reporting.If this information is missing from the main body of text, consider adding it) Mention how participants were recruited (online vs. offline), e.g., from an open access website or from a clinic or a closed online user group (closed usergroup trial), and clarify if this was a purely web-based trial, or there were face-to-face components (as part of the intervention or for assessment).https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dGl… 11/48 na 1b-iv) RESULTS section in abstract must contain use data Scientific background, rationale: What is known about the (type of) system that is the object of the study (be sure to discuss the use of similar systems for other conditions/diagnoses, if appropiate), motivation for the study, i.e. what are the reasons for and what is the context for this specific study, from which stakeholder viewpoint is the study performed, potential impact of findings[2].Briefly justify the choice of the comparator.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 13/48 essential 2b) In INTRODUCTION: Specific objectives or hypotheses METHODS 3a) Description of trial design (such as parallel, factorial) including allocation ratio 2a-ii) Scientific background, rationale: What is known about the (type of) systemCopy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Report how institutional affiliations are displayed to potential participants [on ehealth media], as affiliations with prestigious hospitals or universities may affect volunteer rates, use, and reactions with regards to an intervention.(Notarequired item -describe only if this may bias results)Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study 5/11/2020 CONSORT-EHEALTH (V 1.6.1)-Submission/Publication Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 18/48 essential 5) The interventions for each group with sufficient details to allow replication, including how and when they were actually administered "To assist recruitment, on behalf of the research team, the NDSS sent invitation letters to registered adults with T2DM living in the Australian states of Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia."5-i) Mention names, credential, affiliations of the developers, sponsors, and owners Mention names, credential, affiliations of the developers, sponsors, and owners [6] (if authors/evaluators are owners or developer of the software, this needs to be declared in a "Conflict of interest" section or mentioned elsewhere in the manuscript).5/11/2020 CONSORT-EHEALTH (V 1.6.1)-Submission/Publication Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 19/48 essential Does your paper address subitem 5-i?
Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Ensure replicability by publishing the source code, and/or providing screenshots/screen-capture video, and/or providing flowcharts of the algorithms used.Replicability (i.e., other researchers should in principle be able to replicate the study) is a hallmark of scientific reporting.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 20/48 Does your paper address subitem 5-iv?Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Appendix 5-v) Ensure replicability by publishing the source code, and/or providing screenshots/screen-capture video, and/or providing flowcharts of the algorithms used https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 21/48 Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Participants allocated to the intervention arm received access to the MDC program for up to 12 months....Participants were encouraged to use the app weekly to complete online modules by chatting with 'Laura' or touching buttons on the screen.MDC delivers personalized support, monitoring, and motivational coaching via an embodied conversational agent, 'Laura', through series of modules covering blood glucose monitoring, healthy eating, physical activity, medication taking and foot care.The conversational scripts and algorithms guiding each individual's progress were designed by applying behavior change theories and techniques, including the Transtheoretical Model, Social Cognitive Theory, gamification and other concepts derived from chronic disease self-management.Algorithms were further tailored according to the clinical targets and recommendations provided by each participants' GP. "Describe use parameters (e.g., intended "doses" and optimal timing for use).Clarify what instructions or recommendations were given to the user, e.g., regarding timing, frequency, heaviness of use, if any, or was the intervention used ad libitum.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 22/48 techniques, persuasive features, etc., see e.g.,[7, 8]for terminology).This includes an in-depth description of the content (including where it is coming from and who developed it) [1]," whether [and how] it is tailored to individual circumstances and allows users to track their progress and receive feedback" [6].This also includes a description of communication delivery channels and -if computermediated communication is a component -whether communication was synchronous or asynchronous [6].It also includes information on presentation strategies [1], including page design principles, average amount of text on pages, presence of hyperlinks to other resources, etc. [1].Does your paper address subitem 5-viii?* Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 23/48 Report any prompts/reminders used: Clarify if there were prompts (letters, emails, phone calls, SMS) to use the application, what triggered them, frequency etc.It may be necessary to distinguish between the level of prompts/reminders required for the trial, and the level of prompts/reminders for a routine application outside of a RCT setting (discuss under item 21 -generalizability).Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "The program coordinator also telephoned participants after 1, 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks of program access to answer questions, troubleshoot technical issues and to encourage the program use."Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "The program coordinator, supported by a web-based user management portal, assisted participants in dealing with system-generated technical alerts by communicating with participants, their GPs and Clevertar.The program coordinator also telephoned participants after 1, 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks of program access to answer questions, troubleshoot technical issues and to encourage the program use." https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 24/48 5-xii) Describe any co-interventions (incl.training/support)Describe any co-interventions (incl.training/support):Clearly state any interventions that are provided in addition to the targeted eHealth intervention, as ehealth intervention may not be designed as stand-alone intervention.This includes training sessions and support [1].It may be necessary to distinguish between the level of training required for the trial, and the level of training for a routine application outside of a RCT setting (discuss under item 21 -generalizability."Theprogram coordinator also telephoned participants after 1, 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks of program access to answer questions, troubleshoot technical issues and to encourage the program use." Describe whether and how "use" (including intensity of use/dosage) was defined/measured/monitored (logins, logfile analysis, etc.).Use/adoption metrics are important process outcomes that should be reported in any ehealth trial.
6a-i) Online questionnaires: describe if they were validated for online use and apply CHERRIES items to describe how the questionnaires were designed/deployed If outcomes were obtained through online questionnaires, describe if they were validated for online use and apply CHERRIES items to describe how the questionnaires were designed/deployed[9].https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 26/48 essential 6b) Any changes to trial outcomes after the trial commenced, with reasons 6a-ii) Describe whether and how "use" (including intensity of use/dosage) was defined/measured/monitored Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 28/48 NA Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 8b? *Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "Participants were allocated at random to the intervention or control arm using a 2x4 blockrandomization sequence, programmed into a Redcap data management system[20], with the individual as the unit of randomization."https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 29/48 Specify who was blinded, and who wasn't.Usually, in web-based trials it is not possible to blind the participants [1, 3] (this should be clearly acknowledged), but it may be possible to blind outcome assessors, those doing data analysis or those administering co-interventions (if any).
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 30/48 Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study In ehealth trials it is particularly important to report demographics associated with digital divide issues, such as age, education, gender, social-economic status, computer/Internet/ehealth literacy of the participants, if known.

Table 2
Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 17b? *Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Yes.. all data were reported with absolute and relative if applicableCopy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study subgroup analysis of comparing only users is not uncommon in ehealth trials, but if done, it must be stressed that this is a self-selected sample and no longer an unbiased sample from a randomized trial (see 16-iii).Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Include qualitative feedback from participants or observations from staff/researchers, if available, on strengths and shortcomings of the application, especially if they point to unintended/unexpected effects or uses.This includes (if available) reasons for why people did or did not use the application as intended by the developers.Restate study questions summarize the answers suggested by the data, starting with primary outcomes and process outcomes (use)Restate study questions and summarize the answers suggested by the data, starting with primary outcomes and process outcomes (use).Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "This study is among very few randomized controlled trials globally that have evaluated the adoption, use and effectiveness of a mobile app-based, interactive, embodied conversational agent to support diabetes self-management within home settings over a 12month period.Our study adds new evidence to this emerging field by demonstrating 'realworld' program use and the effectiveness of app-based interactive conversational agents in supporting diabetes self-management.The MDC program was feasible and shown to be effective in improving participants' HRQoL.Although HbA1c levels reduced during the trial, the between-arm difference was not statistically significant at 6 or 12 months."22-ii)Highlightunanswerednew questions, suggest future researchHighlight unanswered new questions, suggest future research.Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study Trial limitations, addressing sources of potential bias, imprecision, and, if relevant, multiplicity of analyses External validity of the trial findings according to the intervention, comparators, patients, and care providers or centers involved in the trial https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 40/48 A https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 42/48 "Strategies that would increase the program engagement and maintenance in use and improve the effect on HbA1c are required before program scale-up."https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 43/48 20) NPT: Discuss if there were elements in the RCT that would be different in a routine application setting (e.g., prompts/reminders, more human involvement, training sessions or other co-interventions) and what impact the omission of these elements could have on use, adoption, or outcomes if the intervention is applied outside of a RCT setting.Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study NA 24) Where the full trial protocol can be accessed, if available 25) Sources of funding and other support (such as supply of drugs), role of funders X27) Conflicts of Interest (not a CONSORT item) Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 23? *Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study "The trial was registered before the start of recruitment in the Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ID ACTRN12614001229662. "Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 24? *Cite a Multimedia Appendix, other reference, or copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study ask to be access Does your paper address CONSORT subitem 25? *Copy and paste relevant sections from the manuscript (include quotes in quotation marks "like this" to indicate direct quotes from your manuscript), or elaborate on this item by providing additional information not in the ms, or briefly explain why the item is not applicable/relevant for your study https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZBSUp1bwOc_OimqcS64RdfIAFvmrTSkZQL2-3O8O9hrL5Sw/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG… 46/48