A community model for care of elderly people with diabetes via telemedicine.
A primary care group diabetes care program using telemedicine was developed and its feasibility and acceptability were tested in 22 subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus using a one-group, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. Compliance with the program was 100%. Significant reductions in total calorie intake as well as body mass index were achieved, with an increase in the percentage of subjects achieving better diabetes control as measured by the 2-hr hemastix. Improvements in diabetes knowledge and disease-specific and generic measures of quality of life were also observed. Most subjects evaluated this mode of service delivery favorably in the questionnaire and focus group discussions. There is potential for the integration of this mode of service delivery into current health services.
Jockey Club Center for Osteoporosis Care and Control, School of Public Health, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China.
Wai Man
WM
Chan
Jean
J
Woo
Elsie
E
Hui
Winny W Y
WW
Lau
Jerry C K
JC
Lai
Diana
D
Lee
D000368:Aged; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003927:Diet, Diabetic; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D016294:Models, Nursing; D017146:Models, Organizational; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000458:organization & administration*