Technological Devices for Nutritional Counseling in Patients With Diabetic Kidney Disease

This study explored the access, use, and acceptance of technological devices for nutritional counseling in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in a low socioeconomic setting.

In this cross-sectional study, 80 adult patients with DKD from an underserved population, attending the nephrology service of a tertiary-care teaching hospital were included. All patients had a clinical, nutritional, and biochemical evaluation; a direct questionnaire was applied to evaluate access and use of technological devices for nutritional counseling as well as their acceptance (knowledge and perception about benefits, barriers, needs, and easy to use).

Eighty-seven percent of patients had access to a smartphone, whereas 20% and 6% to a computer and tablet, respectively; 40% use technological devices for health/nutrition search. Knowledge (1 [1-2]) and barriers (1.4 [1-1.8]) scores were low; scores for benefits (3.7 [3-4]), needs (4.4 [3.7-5]), and easy to use (4.2 [3.7-4.5]) were high. Higher perceptions of the benefits, needs, and willingness to receive nutritional counseling via telemedicine and lower barriers perception were associated with higher easy to use score.

Despite advanced age and low educational level, patients had good access to smartphones and perceived their possible benefits and need for nutritional counseling. Regardless of low knowledge, perception of barriers was very low. Telemedicine via smartphones may be a good option to improve nutritional knowledge and skills of patients with DKD.