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mHealth Intervention to Improve Diabetes Risk Behaviors in India: A Prospective, Parallel Group Cohort Study.
Angela Pfammatter1, Bonnie Spring, Nalini Saligram
1Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States. angela.pfammatter@northwestern.edu.
Journal of Medical Internet Research
|August 7, 2016
Summary
Mobile health (mHealth) interventions show promise for improving diabetes risk behaviors in India. A 6-month text messaging program (mDiabetes) led to better health behaviors and dietary improvements in participants.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Digital Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Diabetes prevalence is high in low/middle-income countries like India, where healthcare access is limited.
- Mobile phone penetration is widespread, offering a platform for mHealth interventions.
- Arogya World implemented mDiabetes, a text messaging program, to address diabetes risk behaviors among Indian adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of the mDiabetes text messaging intervention.
- To evaluate the initial evidence of mDiabetes' effectiveness in improving diabetes risk behaviors.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, parallel cohort study design was employed.
- Participants were randomly selected from Nokia subscribers (intervention) and non-Nokia subscribers (control).
- The intervention group received 56 text messages over 6 months in 12 languages; the control group received no messages. Health behaviors were assessed via telephone surveys at baseline and 6 months.
Main Results:
- 611 (62.22%) intervention and 632 (67.02%) control participants completed the 6-month follow-up.
- Intervention participants showed significantly greater improvement in a composite health behavior score compared to controls (P<.001).
- Improved fruit, vegetable, and fat intake were observed in the intervention group, but not improved exercise.
Conclusions:
- The mDiabetes text messaging intervention is feasible for improving diabetes-related health behaviors.
- This mHealth approach demonstrates potential for population-level behavior change in low/middle-income countries.
- mDiabetes offers a scalable solution to enhance public health outcomes in resource-limited settings.
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