A phased online support program improves self-efficacy and reduces distress in type 2 diabetes patients using mixed...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Chronic Disease Management
• Patient Support Programs

Background:

• Traditional diabetes interventions are often offline, lack continuous support, and focus narrowly on knowledge enhancement.
• Online support programs offer a potential solution to overcome limitations of traditional interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a phased online support program for patients with diabetes.
• To assess the impact of a digital intervention on clinical and psychosocial indicators in diabetes management.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods design was employed with 27 diabetes patients from a tertiary hospital.
• Feasibility was evaluated via recruitment, participation, and retention rates (all >80%).
• Acceptability was assessed through semi-structured interviews, and preliminary effects were measured by clinical and psychosocial indicators at 12-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• The online support program demonstrated high feasibility and acceptability among participants.
• Significant improvements were observed in HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, and lipid profiles.
• Positive changes were noted in weight, BMI, self-efficacy, diabetes distress, knowledge, self-management behaviors, and resource utilization.

Conclusions:

• A phased online support program is a feasible and acceptable intervention for diabetes patients.
• The digital program shows promising preliminary results for improving both clinical outcomes and psychosocial well-being in diabetes management.