A Mobile App for Diabetes Management: Impact on Self-Efficacy Among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes at a Community Hospital

BACKGROUND: Patients with type 2 diabetes upload and review blood glucose data between clinic visits. Many mobile phone applications (apps) that receive data from a “connected” glucometer and that support pattern management are available and have the capacity to make data upload and review less burdensome. The objective of this study was to assess whether the diabetic management app could improve glycemic control and diabetes self-efficacy in a Chinese community hospital by a randomized controlled trial. MATERIAL/METHODS: One-hundred twenty patients with type 2 diabetes registered at the Community Health Service Center of Zhangjiawo Town, Xiqing District, Tianjin City, China were recruited and volunteered to participate in the project. They were randomly divided into the mobile app intervention group (n=60) and the control group (n=60) for a 6-month observation. The control group was given conventional diabetic treatment and the app group was given the mobile app and conventional care. Self-efficacy was measured by the Diabetes Self-Efficacy Scale questionnaire. The differences between the 2 groups in hemoglobin A1c (Hb(A1c)) and diabetes self-efficacy were evaluated at the third and sixth months. RESULTS: At the sixth month, patients in the app group showed better Hb(A1c) control (6.71±1.06 vs. 7.22±1.02, P<0.05) and improved self-efficacy score (119.20±9.88 vs. 102.09±10.67, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The mobile app helped patients with type 2 diabetes in a community hospital improve therapeutic outcome and self-management behavior. It also provided experiences for prevention and management of other chronic diseases in community hospitals.