Effect of mobile learning (application) on self-care behaviors and blood glucose of type 2 diabetic patients

Purpose More than 70% of the health expenditure is related to chronic diseases. Therefore, an efficient managerial program can markedly reduce medical and administrative costs and benefit both patients and service providers. The use of mobile technologies can be very helpful in this regard. This study was conducted to determine the effect of mobile learning (application) on self-care behaviors and blood glucose control of type 2 diabetic patients attending the Diabetes Clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex. Methods This interventional, quasi-experimental study was conducted on 51 diabetic patients. The patients were randomly assigned to case and control groups, and a specifically designed application was used in the case group for three months. Self-care behavior, FBS, and HbA(1)C were assessed in both groups before and three months after the intervention, and the results were analyzed after the intervention. The Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) measure and medical records was used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statics (paired t test, ANCOVA analysis) were used for data analysis. Results The Mean +/- SD of the self-care posttest score, FBS, and HbA(1)C was 76.95 +/- 7.94 vs. 43.4 +/- 9.74 (P = 0.001), 143.58 +/- 23.39 vs. 171.81 +/- 36.98 (P = 0.001), and 6.84 +/- 0.63 vs. 8.10 +/- 0.10 (P = 0,001), in the case and control group respectively, indicating a difference in all cases. Conclusions The results indicated the positive effect of the mobile application on self-care behavior, FBS, and HbA(1)C.