Analyzing Short Message Services Application Effect on Diabetic Patients’ Self‑caring

Abstract

Background: Diabetes is the most prevalent metabolic disease with a growing spread rate in word wide. Short message service (SMS) is of the most common public communication networks, which have brought about a broad spectrum of applications like social, cultural and service products in the late decade. The objective of this research is, the investigate of using SMS on diabetes patients self‑caring.

Methods: In an interventional study, 228 diabetes patients have been selected from a community charity. With using of random sampling method, they were divided into two groups of 114 subjects as the control and case. The case group was sent messages reminding them about sports, caring foot, taking insulin and oral tablet for 4 weeks via mobile phone. After 4 weeks, a posttest questionnaire was completed. The data analysis was performed using a descriptive statistic, Chi‑square, independent t‑test, and paired t‑test.

Results: There are not significant differences between case and control groups before intervention by studied dependent variables (P > 0.05). Performance score mean of taking care of foot, sport and taking oral tablet and insulin in case group before intervention were 29.90, 10, 11.16 and 3.75 respectively and after intervention were 20.11, 41.36, 13.09 and 4.90, respectively. Furthermore, the performance scores mean difference after intervention, taking care of foot (P < 0.001), sport (P < 0.001), taking oral tablet (P = 0.020) was meaningful in case and control groups.

Conclusions: Regarding the study results on using cell phone, to utilize virtual training methods is recommended as an appropriate procedure for different health care, self‑caring and follow‑up training plans for various groups in society, especially diabetic and chronic patients.

Keywords: Cell phone, diabetes, experimental, intervention, mobile phone, short message service