Impact of Short Message Service (SMS) Education Based on a Health Promotion Model on the Physical Activity of Patients with Type II Diabetes

INTRODUCTION: Physical activity is the most important self-management behaviour in diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a short message service (SMS) based on a health promotion model (HPM) on the physical activity of diabetic patients. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study consisted of 37 type II diabetes patients in an SMS group and 36 type II diabetes patients in a control group. The patients in both groups completed written consent forms and questionnaires at the beginning of the study. The patients in the SMS group received training messages within two weeks (two or three messages daily) in the field of physical activity based on HPM constructs. Both groups completed questionnaires in three stages (at the beginning of the study, four weeks after the first visit, and three months later) comprising demographic factors, questions regarding the constructs, and 7-day physical activity recall. After data collection, statistical analysis was conducted using an independent t-test, a Chi-square test, and a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: As compared with the control group, changes in mean scores of perceived self-efficacy (P = 0.001) and family support (P = 0.046) of physical activity in the training group were significantly greater and perceived barriers (P < 0.001) were significantly lower over time. The physical activity performance of the SMS group was better three months after training as compared with that of the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated the efficacy of training messages in changing the beliefs and physical activity behaviours of diabetic patients.