The impact of nurse short message services and telephone follow-ups on diabetic adherence: which one is more effective?

Abstract

Aim: To compare the effectiveness of two methods of follow-up: short message service and telephone follow-up on type 2 diabetes adherence for three months.

Background: Using telemedicine approaches may preserve appropriate blood glucose levels and may improve adherence to diabetes control recommendations in diabetic patients.

Design: A quasi-experimental, two-group, pretest and post-test design was used in this study to evaluate the effectiveness of nurse's follow-up via cellular phones and telephones.

Methods: The sample consisted of 77 patients with type 2 diabetes that randomly were assigned to two groups: telephone follow-up (n = 39) and short message service (n = 38). Telephone interventions were applied by a researcher for three months; twice a week for the first month and every week for the second and third month. For three successive months, the short message service group that received messages about adherence to therapeutic regimen was examined. The data gathering instrument included data sheets - to record glycosylated haemoglobin - and the questionnaire related to adherence therapeutic regimen. Data gathering was carried out at the beginning of the study and after three and six months. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistic methods with SPSS version 11.5.

Results: Results showed that both interventions had significant mean changes in glycosylated haemoglobin. For the telephone group (p < 0.001), a mean change of -0.93 and for the short message service group (p < 0.001), a mean change of -1.01. There was no significant difference in diet adherence (p = 0.000), physical exercise (p = 0.000) and medication taking (p = 0.000) adherence in either groups.

Conclusion: Intervention using short message services of cellular phones and nurse-led-telephone follow-up improved HbA1c levels and adherence to diabetes therapeutic regimen for three months in type 2 diabetic patients.

Relevance to clinical practice: Both of follow-up intervention uses in this study can decrease HbA1c levels and escalate adherence to diabetes control recommendations in people with type 2 diabetes for three months.