Evaluation of Social Platform-Based Continuity of Care in Improving Cognitive and Prognostic Effects of Young Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy

Abstract

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of social platform-based continuity of care in improving cognitive and prognostic effects of young age diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: A total of 88 young age diabetic patients admitted to the outpatient clinic of First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University (Endocrine and Ophthalmology Outpatient) from January 2021 to May 2022 were recruited and assigned via random number table method to receive either routine follow-up care (routine group) or social platform-based continuity of care (WeChat group), with 44 patients in each group. Treatment compliance, cognitive-behavioral ability, self-care ability (self-care responsibility, self-care skills, self-status, knowledge of diabetic retinopathy), quality of life (physical function, psychosocial, symptom and visual function, social activity), and prognosis of the patients were analyzed to investigate the effectiveness of WeChat social platform-based continuity of care. All patients were followed up for one year.

Results: Patients receiving WeChat social platform-based continuity of care exhibited obviously higher treatment compliance and better cognitive-behavioral ability, self-care responsibility, self-care skills, self-state, and diabetic retinopathy knowledge follow-up than those with routine care (P<0.05). Patients in the WeChat group had significantly better physical function, mental psychology, symptoms and visual function, and social activity levels than those in the routine group (P<0.05). WeChat-based continuity of care resulted in a significantly lower incidence of visual acuity loss and diabetic retinopathy during follow-up than routine care (P<0.05).

Conclusion: WeChat social platform-based continuity of care effectively improves treatment compliance and diabetic retinopathy awareness, and enhances self-care ability of young patients with diabetes mellitus. The life quality of these patients is improved and the risk of poor prognosis has been reduced.

Keywords: cognitive and prognostic; diabetic retinopathy; social platform-based continuity of care; young patients.