Effects of video and audio based education on diabetes management

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: To address the growing burden of diabetes and improve patient care, mobile health technologies have emerged as powerful tools for diabetes management and support. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of video and audio based education materials on certain metabolic parameters and self management of type 2 diabetes. METHOD: The study is a randomized controlled study conducted between 01.01.2022 and 30.06.2022 in the population of DM patients registered or admitted to Sakarya Akyazı Family Health Center No:1 5402005 family medicine unit. The study group consists of 150 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The initial anthropometric measurements and some laboratory parameters of the included patients were recorded. Additionally, "multidimensional diabetes questionnaire" was administered to the patients. Patients in the intervention groups received regular video and audio based education messages through smartphones every three days for three weeks. Measurements and the questionnaire were repeated after three months. Pre- and post- intervention outcomes were compared between groups. RESULTS: For both intervention groups, there were significant improvements in weight, BMI, hip circumference measurements; blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1C levels and lipid profile; diet and medication adherence, as well as plasma glucose monitoring. Significant improvements were also observed in the perception of inference, severity, self-efficacy and outcome expectations. The video based education intervention group showed greater improvements in diet adherence and plasma glucose monitoring at home, while the audio based education intervention group showed greater improvement in the perception of severity. No significant differences were found between the intervention groups in other outcomes. CONCLUSION: Video and auditory-based mHealth educational messages contribute to the self-management of type 2 diabetes patients. The development, promotion, and utilization of these applications in primary healthcare settings will have an impact on disease control. Keywords: Type 2 DM, mHealth, self-management, disease management platform, primary healthcare services.