There was no evidence of improvement in depression , quality of life , blood pressure , serum lipids , or weight .
There was no evidence of significant adverse effects .
CONCLUSIONS Computer-based diabetes self-management interventions to manage type 2 diabetes appear to have a small beneficial effect on blood glucose control , and this effect was larger in the mobile phone subgroup .
There was no evidence of benefit for other biological , cognitive , behavioral , or emotional outcomes
OBJECTIVE Structured patient education programs can reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications .
However , people appear to have difficulties attending face-to-face education and alternatives are needed .
This review looked at the impact of computer-based diabetes self-management interventions on health status , cardiovascular risk factors , and quality of life of adults with type 2 diabetes .
Online Diabetes Self-Management Program
OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that people with type 2 diabetes in an online diabetes self-management program  , compared with usual-care control subjects , would 1 ) demonstrate reduced A1C at 6 and 18 months , 2 ) have fewer symptoms , 3 ) demonstrate increased exercise , and 4 ) have improved self-efficacy and patient activation . In addition , participants r and omized to listserve reinforcement would have better 18-month outcomes than participants receiving no reinforcement . RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 761 participants were r and omized to 1 ) the program  , 2 ) the program with e-mail reinforcement , or 3 ) were usual-care control subjects ( no treatment ) . This sample included 110 American Indians/Alaska Natives ( AI/ANs ) . Analyses of covariance models were used at the 6- and 18-month follow-up to compare groups . RESULTS At 6 months , A1C , patient activation , and self-efficacy were improved for program participants compared with usual care control subjects ( P < 0.05 ) . There were no changes in other health or behavioral indicators . The AI/AN program participants demonstrated improvements in health distress and activity limitation compared with usual-care control subjects . The subgroup with initial A1C > 7 % demonstrated stronger improvement in A1C ( P = 0.01 ) . At 18 months , self-efficacy and patient activation were improved for program participants . A1C was not measured . Reinforcement showed no improvement . CONCLUSIONS An online diabetes self-management program is acceptable for people with type 2 diabetes . Although the results were mixed they suggest 1 ) that the program may have beneficial effects in reducing A1C , 2 ) AI/AN population s can be engaged in and benefit from online interventions , and 3 ) our follow-up reinforcement appeared to have no value
There was no evidence of improvement in depression , quality of life , blood pressure , serum lipids , or weight .
There was no evidence of significant adverse effects .
CONCLUSIONS Computer-based diabetes self-management interventions to manage type 2 diabetes appear to have a small beneficial effect on blood glucose control , and this effect was larger in the mobile phone subgroup .
There was no evidence of benefit for other biological , cognitive , behavioral , or emotional outcomes
OBJECTIVE Structured patient education programs can reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications .
However , people appear to have difficulties attending face-to-face education and alternatives are needed .
This review looked at the impact of computer-based diabetes self-management interventions on health status , cardiovascular risk factors , and quality of life of adults with type 2 diabetes .