SMS Technology for the Promotion of Diabetes Education and Self-Management in Egypt

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study was conducted at the teaching hospital of Misr University for Science & Technology. It aimed to examine the use of SMS technology in educating and monitoring diabetic patients in Egypt, and assess the impact of educational text messages on their glycemic control and self-management behaviors. Participants were randomized into an intervention and a control group. Intervention patients received an instruction booklet as well as daily educational and weekly reminder messages to better control their diabetes. Control patients received the same instruction booklet but no SMS messages. Both group patients took an HbA1c test at the beginning and end of the study period and were asked to measure their blood glucose once a week and record their readings into a monitoring table over 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in HbA1c levels, which was expected to be greater among intervention patients at the end of the study. Secondary outcomes included blood glucose levels, treatment and medication adherence, diabetes self-efficacy, rate of hospital/ER visits, frequency of blood glucose measurement, among others.

Official Title
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SMS Technology for the Promotion of Diabetes Education and Self-Management

Conditions
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Diabetes Mellitus

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: SMS messages
* Other: Instruction booklet


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: has diabetes owns a mobile phone can read SMS messages or lives with someone that can read for them. Exclusion Criteria: cannot read or not SMS familiar and lives alone
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intervention group<br>This group received a diabetes instruction booklet in addition to daily educational SMS messages and weekly reminders | Other: SMS messages<br>* Daily educational messages addressing the following categories: diet, exercise, complications, medications, foot care, blood sugar testing, and hypo- and hyperglycemia. Weekly reminder messages of blood glucose testing.<br>Other: Instruction booklet<br>* General detailed instructions addressing the same SMS categories.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Control group<br>This group only received a diabetes instruction booklet | Other: Instruction booklet<br>* General detailed instructions addressing the same SMS categories.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| change in HbA1c | measured by the difference between endpoint and baseline values and by the number of patients who experienced a reduction of at least 1% from baseline to endpoint | baseline and 12 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| blood glucose levels |  | 12 weeks | 
| body weight |  | 12 weeks | 
| Treatment adherence | measured by the diabetes self-care inventory (SCI) | 12 weeks | 
| Medication adherence | measured by the Morisky medication adherence scale (MMAS-4) | 12 weeks | 
| Diabetes self-efficacy | measured by the diabetes empowerment scale short form (DES-SF) | 12 weeks | 
| Frequency of blood glucose measurement |  | 12 weeks | 
| Rate of hospital/ER admissions |  | 12 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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SMS, text messaging, diabetes self management, glycemic control, mHealth, mobile health, diabetes education