Effectiveness of Smartphone Application "Gororokapp" for Type 2 Diabetes Patients' Self-Management in Rwanda: A...

Type 2 diabetes has become a public health concern, representing more than 90% of all types of diabetes and affecting 536.6 million people worldwide in 2021. It is a disabling condition and is considered a major risk factor for developing chronic complication such as cardiovascular diseases if not well controlled. Studies have shown that individuals with diabetes can make a positive impact on the outcomes of their disease by participating to their healthcare. Contextualized innovative and effective applications are needed to facilitate individuals with diabetes to participate to their care.

To assess the effectiveness of Smartphone Application "GororokApp" in monitoring of glucose control among type 2 diabetes individuals.

A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) was used to assess the effectiveness of smartphone application (GororokApp) in monitoring of glucose control for self-management by the patients with type 2 diabetes in Rwanda. Participants in intervention group used the GororokApp and recorded their blood glucose measurements and received health care advice remotely while the control group continued routine care. The participants were followed up over a period of 12 weeks. The primary outcomes were glycated haemoglobin, and daily blood glucose measurements.

After 12 weeks of follow up, the intervention and control, groups demonstrated difference of changes in glycated haemoglobin; whereby in the intervention group the glycated haemoglobin reduced from 8.45±2.93 to 6.89±1.86 (p ≤ 0.001), whereas in the control group the glycated haemoglobin increased from 7.12±2.52 to 8.14±2.17 (p ≤0.001).

The smartphone application "GororokApp" is effective in self-monitoring and management of the daily blood glucose levels in intervention group to achieve treatment targets of blood glucose and glycated haemoglobin among individuals with type 2 diabetes.