The effect of education of patients with type 2 diabetes at risk of covid-19 on symptoms and some metabolic outcomes: A randomized controlled study()

OBJECTIVE: Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide. It also has a high risk of morbidity and mortality in the covid 19 pandemic. Due to pandemic measures, disruptions have emerged in the care treatments of patients with type 2 diabetes. The present study aimed to determine the effects of telehealth monitoring and patient training on the symptoms and metabolic outcomes in the patients with type 2 diabetes who are at risk of COVID-19. METHODOLOGY: The current study is in the design of a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomized into intervention group (n=41) and control group (n = 44). The patients in the intervention group received diabetes training once a week for the first 4 weeks and every other week for weeks 5–12. No training was given to the control group. The data was collected using the socio-demographic information form, the questionnaire of diabetes treatment, the form of metabolic control variables, and the Diabetes Symptoms Checklist. The data was analyzed with Chi-square, independent samples t-test, and paired sample t-test. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients in the control group was 56.86 ± 9.40, and the mean age of those in the intervention group was 54.12 ± 8.32. After the training, a statistically significant difference was found between the checklist averages of the groups in the subscale of hyperglycemia. However, a statistically significant difference was found between the subscales of neurology, cardiology, cognition, hyperglycemia, and the total checklist averages in the intervention group before and after the training (p < 0.05). In the control group, there was a statistically significant difference between the subscale of hyperglycemia and the total checklist averages at the beginning and 3 months later (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It has been determined that the disease training given to the patients with diabetes via telehealth monitoring during the COVID-19 process has a positive effect on the diabetes control of the patients. Health education through telehealth methods can be an effective and cost-effective strategy to support patients with diabetes.