Title : The effect of educational intervention educational program using WhatsApp on adherence to anti-diabetic drugs in primary health care units
Abstract:
Background: Low adherence to pharmacological therapy by patients with diabetes mellitus is a frequent and represents a worldwide challenge.
Introduction: This study examined the effect of an education intervention program using WhatsApp_ messaging on medication adherence of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Methods: A randomized clinical trial was performed with 500 patients who had diabetes and who had enrolled in the 3 primary health care units (diabetes clinic) The patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 250), which received usual care (multi-professional educational appointments according to each Unit schedule) plus 60 audio, image or text WhatsApp messages about health care promotion, with an emphasis on medication adherence. The control group (n = 250) only received usual care. Medication adherence, as measured by the Morisky-Green Test, was compared through the chi-square test after 6 months Relative risk (RR) was used as a measure of effect size.
Results: After the follow-up period (6 months), 75% of the patients in the intervention group were adherent versus 51.3% in the control group (RR: 1.15, 95% confidence interval = 0.88-1.53, p = 0.056).
Discussion: There was a clinically significant impact associated with increase in medication adherence than the control group.
Conclusion: Given the complexity of adherence to the use of antidiabetic and antihypertensive medications, educational interventions using WhatsApp could be useful as a reinforcement to increase adherence to medication.
Keywords: Type 2 Diabetes, Health Technology, Health Promotion, Telemedicine
