Effectiveness of using technology as health education tool among diabetes patients in South India: A comparative analysis and community based intervention

INTRODUCTION: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a serious, progressive condition presenting with chronic hyperglycemia. Its prevalence is gradually increasing at a global level. A diabetic has to make multiple choices daily about the management of their condition, such as appropriate dietary intake, physical activity and adherence to drugs. There is hardly any input from a healthcare professional for guidance on a daily basis. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to assess the change in knowledge by using various methods of health education as intervention and to compare the effect of technology as a tool of health education as compared to conventional methods of health education. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A community-based interventional study was done in the field practice area of our Institute in South India. Two groups of people were selected from 40 adopted houses. One from urban; for intervention with technology, that is, health education using videos and the second group from rural population; for intervention with conventional method of health education, that is, using charts. RESULTS: The mean baseline knowledge score in urban and rural area was 3.76 and 9.97, respectively. There was statistically significant increase in knowledge among both the groups. By the use of technology in the urban population knowledge level increased from 3.76 to 10.15 and was found to be statistically significant. The difference in increase in knowledge was higher in the technology group as compared to conventional group. CONCLUSION: In the era of smartphone, technology-based health education can reduce the total health care manpower which is deficient. Technology is a boon to introduce lifestyle modification in chronic diseases like Diabetes Mellitus.