This study was conducted at the teaching hospital of Misr University for Science \& Technology. It aimed to examine the use of SMS technology in educating and monitoring diabetic patients in Egypt, and assess the impact of educational text messages on their glycemic control and self-management behaviors. Participants were randomized into an intervention and a control group. Intervention patients received an instruction booklet as well as daily educational and weekly reminder messages to better control their diabetes. Control patients received the same instruction booklet but no SMS messages. Both group patients took an HbA1c test at the beginning and end of the study period and were asked to measure their blood glucose once a week and record their readings into a monitoring table over 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in HbA1c levels, which was expected to be greater among intervention patients at the end of the study. Secondary outcomes included blood glucose levels, treatment and medication adherence, diabetes self-efficacy, rate of hospital/ER visits, frequency of blood glucose measurement, among others.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
73
Daily educational messages addressing the following categories: diet, exercise, complications, medications, foot care, blood sugar testing, and hypo- and hyperglycemia. Weekly reminder messages of blood glucose testing.
General detailed instructions addressing the same SMS categories.
Misr University for Science & Technology (MUST) hospital
Giza, Cairo Governorate, Egypt
change in HbA1c
measured by the difference between endpoint and baseline values and by the number of patients who experienced a reduction of at least 1% from baseline to endpoint
Time frame: baseline and 12 weeks
blood glucose levels
Time frame: 12 weeks
body weight
Time frame: 12 weeks
Treatment adherence
measured by the diabetes self-care inventory (SCI)
Time frame: 12 weeks
Medication adherence
measured by the Morisky medication adherence scale (MMAS-4)
Time frame: 12 weeks
Diabetes self-efficacy
measured by the diabetes empowerment scale short form (DES-SF)
Time frame: 12 weeks
Frequency of blood glucose measurement
Time frame: 12 weeks
Rate of hospital/ER admissions
Time frame: 12 weeks
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