Comparative effect of telemedicine on glycemic control management among Diabetes Mellitus Type II Patients in Suratthani’s prison healthcare unit.

Abstract

Background: Telemedicine offers many benefits to conventional care such as decreased travel cost and time, decreased risk of transmission of communicable diseases. However after the end of COVID-19 outbreak the researcher concerns the comparative effect of telemedicine on glycemic control between telemedicine and in-person care.

Objectives: to evaluate the effect of telemedicine on behaviors and blood sugar control among diabetes patients in Suratthani’s prison healthcare unit.

Methods: A Quasi-experimental study into 2 groups Telemedicine and In-person care, using a questionnaire in Type II diabetes patients during December 1^st, 2023 to April 1^st, 2024. Descriptive statistics were used with Independent t test and Paired t-test.

Results: There were 45 participants enrolled the study. The behaviors scores between two groups are moderate =3.09, S.D.= 0.33 and =2.94, S.D.= 0.33, respectively slightly different non- significant (P=0.14). The comparative impact on glycemic control (FBS and Hba1c) in the telemedicine group decrease less than In-person care (Tele: Pre FBS =119.8 ,Post FBS =114.4), (In-person:Pre FBS =128.9 ,Post FBS =125.2), (Tele:Pre Hba1c =7.1, In-person:Post Hba1c =6.9) and (In-perdson:Pre Hba1c =7.9 ,Post Hba1c =6.9), respectively non significant. Paired different Hba1c reduction in telemedicine group was 0.21% non significant (P=0.46) and In-person group was 1.11% significantly (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Telemedicine benefits diabetes patients in prison to decrease blood sugar control. It increases patients’ accessibility and save cost of the treatment. Therefore telemedicine could improve the workflow of hospitals and prison health care unit in the future.