Assessment of Dietary compliance in Type-2 diabetes mellitus patients by sending text message reminders

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Type-II Diabetes Mellitus; Metabolic and Endocrine - Diabetes

• Registration Number: ACTRN12612000538842
• Lead Sponsor: Aga Khan University

Brief Summary

Summary Results: Motivating patients through text message (SMS) reminders can improve adherence to a healthy diet and can lead to better diabetes control. This study was carried out to assess the difference in dietary adherence in patients with Type II diabetes, who were sent dietary text message A block randomized control trial was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Patients (n=249), diagnosed with Type II diabetes were invited to participate in the study. At baseline, dietary guidelines were provided to all the study participants. In the intervention arm, three dietary text message reminders were sent per week for 3 months. Adherence to diet was measured by assigning a score to the dietary intake assessed by the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) both at baseline and after follow-up. The results of the study showed no change in diet quality score from baseline till 3 months of the follow up in the intervention arm compared to the control arm. However, diet quality score of overweight participants was less than that of normal weight participants. Each additional score points at baseline resulted in an almost 20% increase in the adherence score at follow-up. We were unable to assess the compliance to text message reminder, there could be a possibility of ignorance of text message reminders in this population. Also, the follow-up duration was very small to asses a behavioral change effect. This is the first epidemiological study to assess dietary adherence in people with diabetes by sending dietary text message reminders in Pakistan. It can have important public health implications especially in low- and middle-income countries as it has the potential of lowering the use of healthcare resources while reaching out to a larger audience, and thereby improving health care delivery. Moreover, on a larger scale, more effective communication with patients can be achieved by text message interventions if messages are personalized and interactive, as it can improve health care delivery. Along with the work of primary health care providers, mobile health technology can work in conjunction with practices already in place to improve effective patient-provider communication, adherence to treatment and self-management ability

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Results First Posted: 1900-01-01
• Study Start: 2012-05-21
• Study Completion: 2015-06-12
• Last Update Posted: 13 January 2020

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 249

Inclusion Criteria

1. Patients of age between 30 to 70 years
2. Patients with an HbA1c more than 7
3. Cases diagnosed with type-II diabetes since 2 to 15 years
4. Those patients who have mobile phone and do not intend to change their phone number in the next six months
5. Those who can read the SMS written in Urdu and will be able to respond to it
6. Those who are on oral hypoglycemic medication only

Exclusion Criteria

1. Serious chronic co-morbidities e.g. Diabetic ketosis, Severe Diabetic foot, Nephropathy, Neuropathy, Retinopathy (taking injectable hypoglycemic drugs), chronic Renal failure, Liver cirrhosis
2. Those who cannot give consent
3. Not able to understand Urdu
4. Enrolled in any other study
5. Pregnant females
6. Hearing and verbal disabilities

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Compliance to dietary guidelines scores would be the Primary outcome , which would be measured by using the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). FFQ would be conducted at the baseline as well as after the intervention period (3 months of follow up). We would expect a difference of 1.5 score of dietary compliance between the two groups[We will conduct the food frequency questionnaire at the baseline, midway (one and half month) for the interim analysis and at the end of follow up period (three months)]

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in HbA1c (expected 1%)[Baseline and at the end of follow up (3 months)];Change in Fasting blood glucose[Baseline and at the end of follow up (3 months)];To assess dietary compliance in participants who will respond to text messages vs. those who will not respond to text messages[A fortnightly message will be send to both the groups. The contant of this message will be:<br><br>Q1: About fruits <br>In the last 24hrs did you have any fruits?<br>Write: 1 (if yes) than enter the number of fruits.<br>Write: 2 (if no)<br>Q2: About vegetables:<br>In the last 24hrs did you have any vegetables?<br>Write: 1 (if yes) than enter the number of vegetables.<br>Write: 2 (if no)<br><br>There will be 6 messages for each participant for which they have to respond.]