Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Jul;15(7):1513-1524.
doi: 10.1007/s13300-024-01595-6. Epub 2024 May 14.

Could Online Education Replace Face-to-Face Education in Diabetes? A Systematic Review

Núria Alonso-Carril  1   2 , Silvia Rodriguez-Rodríguez  1 , Carmen Quirós  1 , Belén Berrocal  1 , Antonio J Amor  3 , Maria-José Barahona  1 , Davinia Martínez  4 , Carme Ferré  2 , Verónica Perea  5
Affiliations
Review

Could Online Education Replace Face-to-Face Education in Diabetes? A Systematic Review

Núria Alonso-Carril et al. Diabetes Ther. 2024 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) is a critical component of diabetes care. This study aims to examine the effect of online-based educational interventions on diabetes management compared to face-to-face interventions.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted by searching three databases for studies in English or Spanish between December 2023 and March 2024. The inclusion criteria were studies that compared face-to-face DSMES with online interventions.

Results: The follow-up duration of the trials ranged from 1 to 12 months. Multidisciplinary teams delivered online DSMES through various means, including Short Message Service (SMS), telephone calls, video calls, websites, and applications. Online DSMES was found to be comparable to face-to-face interventions in terms of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). In contrast, online interventions that focus on weight management in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) have shown a significant reduction in HbA1c compared to face-to-face interventions. Online DSMES was found to be superior in terms of quality of life and cost-effectiveness in both T1D and T2D. None of the analyzed studies explored the differences between individual and group methodologies.

Conclusions: The current evidence indicates that online DSMES services provide at least comparable biomedical benefits to face-to-face interventions, suggesting that online interventions could be incorporated into clinical practice as a complement or reinforcement. However, further research is needed to explore the potential benefits and effectiveness of online group sessions in DSMES.

Keywords: DSMES; Diabetes mellitus; Education; Face-to-face; Online; Type 1 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Núria Alonso-Carril, Silvia Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Carmen Quirós, Belén Berrocal, Maria-José Barahona, Davinia Martínez, Carme Ferré and Verónica Perea have nothing to disclose. Antonio J. Amor is an Editorial Board member of Diabetes Therapy. Antonio J. Amor was not involved in the selection of peer reviewers for the manuscript nor any of the subsequent editorial decisions.

References

    1. IDF Diabetes Atlas 10th edition [Internet]. www.diabetesatlas.org.
    1. 5. Facilitating behavior change and well-being to improve health outcomes: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022. Diabetes Care. 2022 45(Supplement_1):S60–82. - PubMed
    1. Hurley L, O’Donnell M, O’Hara MC, Carey ME, Willaing I, Daly H, et al. Is diabetes self-management education still the Cinderella of diabetes care? Vol 100 patient education and counseling. Elsevier Ireland Ltd; 2017. pp. 1957–1960. - PubMed
    1. Davis J, Fischl AH, Beck J, Browning L, Carter A, Condon JE, et al. 2022 national standards for diabetes self-management education and support. Diabetes Care. 2022;45(2):484–494. doi: 10.2337/dc21-2396. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Yoldi C. Formación en educación terapéutica en diabetes. Qué tenemos y qué nos falta? Avances en Diabetología. 2011;27(3):100–105. doi: 10.1016/S1134-3230(11)70016-3. - DOI

LinkOut - more resources