Effect of mobile learning (application) on self-care behaviors and blood glucose of type 2 diabetic patients

Manizhe Hooshmandja; Aeen Mohammadi; Alireza Esteghamti; Khadije Aliabadi; Mohammadreza Nili

doi:10.1007/s40200-019-00414-1

Effect of mobile learning (application) on self-care behaviors and blood glucose of type 2 diabetic patients

J Diabetes Metab Disord. 2019 Jul 12;18(2):307-313. doi: 10.1007/s40200-019-00414-1. eCollection 2019 Dec.

Authors

Manizhe Hooshmandja¹, Aeen Mohammadi², Alireza Esteghamti³, Khadije Aliabadi⁴, Mohammadreza Nili⁴

Affiliations

¹ 1Virtual University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
² 2Department of E-Learning in Medical Education, Virtual School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Dolatshahi, Naderi St, Keshavarz Blvd, Tehran, 14166-14741 Iran.
³ 3Department of Internal Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁴ 4Department of Instructional Technology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Purpose: More than 70% of the health expenditure is related to chronic diseases. Therefore, an efficient managerial program can markedly reduce medical and administrative costs and benefit both patients and service providers. The use of mobile technologies can be very helpful in this regard. This study was conducted to determine the effect of mobile learning (application) on self-care behaviors and blood glucose control of type 2 diabetic patients attending the Diabetes Clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex.

Methods: This interventional, quasi-experimental study was conducted on 51 diabetic patients. The patients were randomly assigned to case and control groups, and a specifically designed application was used in the case group for three months. Self-care behavior, FBS, and HbA₁C were assessed in both groups before and three months after the intervention, and the results were analyzed after the intervention. The Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) measure and medical records was used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statics (paired t test, ANCOVA analysis) were used for data analysis.

Results: The Mean ± SD of the self-care posttest score, FBS, and HbA₁C was 76.95 ± 7.94 vs. 43.4 ± 9.74 (P = 0.001), 143.58 ± 23.39 vs. 171.81 ± 36.98 (P = 0.001), and 6.84 ± 0.63 vs. 8.10 ± 0.10 (P = 0,001), in the case and control group respectively, indicating a difference in all cases.

Conclusions: The results indicated the positive effect of the mobile application on self-care behavior, FBS, and HbA₁C.

Keywords: Application; Blood glucose; Mobile learning; Self-care; Type 2 diabetic patients.