Education, phone reminders boost diabetes self-management

Self-management and self-efficacy of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) can be improved with education and phone reminders, which in turn translate to substantial reductions in metabolic values, a study reports.

The study randomized 78 T2D patients to undergo the experimental intervention or not. They completed Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ) and self-efficacy scale (DSS). Patients in the experimental group were given education; both groups received reminders about the control time of their metabolic values on the phone in the 3rd and 6th months.

The population was 59.91 years of age on average, and their diabetes duration was 7.05 years; 62.8 percent of the patients (n=49) were female, 92.3 percent (n=72) were married, and 42.3 percent (n=33) were high school graduates.

There was a statistically significant between-group difference in the 6th month metabolic values, in favour of the experimental group. When diabetes self-management and self-efficacy were examined, patients in the experimental group also showed more favourable results for the 3rd and 6th months compared with those in the control group (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively).

The findings suggest that telephone reminders work in effecting behaviour change in individuals with diabetes in terms of performing self-care activities and that diabetes education helps regulate metabolic values.