Educating diabetic patients through an SMS intervention: a randomized controlled trial at a Brazilian public hospital

Abstract

Objective: Diabetes mellitus (DM) has a high healthcare system cost worldwide. Educational strategies are important to improve self-care and control this disease. This study aimed to evaluate satisfaction and clinical efficacy of a Short Message Service (SMS) educational intervention in self-care and nutrition at a Brazilian university hospital.

Methods: We conducted a trial of educational intervention and assigned eligible patients with DM to either receive weekly educational SMS for 6 months (intervention group [IG]) or no SMS at all (control group). A satisfaction questionnaire was applied before and after the intervention in both groups. Laboratory (fasting glucose, hemoglobin [Hb] A1c, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein) and clinical (blood pressure) data were also collected. Data were analyzed using nonparametric tests with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.

Results: We included 128 patients (64 in each group). Responses to the satisfaction questionnaire with self-care and healthcare professionals from 112 patients revealed an improvement in the perception of receiving information regarding helpful eating habits and in healthy eating behavior and an improvement in satisfaction with their diabetes care in the IG. In the post-intervention period, improved systolic blood pressure and HbA1c levels were observed in the IG as illustrated by delta % (post-intervention minus pre-intervention data divided by pre-intervention data multiplied by 100) reductions of 2.3% and 3.9%, respectively.

Conclusion: SMS intervention was useful as an educational tool for improving satisfaction and glycemic and blood pressure control of patients with DM observed at a Brazilian university hospital.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; SMS; health education; self-care.

Figure 1. Patient sample selected: Brazil, 2018-2019