The Effectiveness of Telephone Follow-Up for Diabetes Management

Abstract

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States with 30.3 million Americans having the disease and a cost of $327 billion. Approximately 300,000 people are affected in Kansas, a cost of $ 2.6 billion, and $6.7 billion in Missouri. The burden of diabetes to society includes increased resource expenditure and reduced productivity. This quasi-experimental quality improvement study, one cohort, with pre and post-test included eighteen adult participants with diabetes at one clinic in the central Midwest. Participants received telephone calls and short message services weekly for four weeks and then every two weeks for eight weeks. Fasting blood glucose levels, hemoglobin A1C, and a Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities Scale were collected pre-and-post intervention. Telephone follow-up reduced hemoglobin A1C and fasting blood glucose levels, and significantly increased adherence to diet, exercise, blood glucose testing, and foot care. Telephone follow-up to patients with uncontrolled diabetes can improve adherence to diabetes self-management skills.