title: Evaluating the Effect of Web-Based Iranian Diabetic Personal Health Record App on Self-Care Status and Clinical Indicators: Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are 4 main types of chronic or noncommunicable diseases. Of these, diabetes is one of the major therapeutic concerns globally. Moreover, Iran is among the countries with the highest incidence of diabetic patients. Furthermore, library-based studies by researchers have shown that thus far no study has been carried out to evaluate the relationship between Web-based diabetic personal health records (DPHR) and self-care indicators in Iran.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to examine the effect of Web-based DPHR on self-care status of diabetic patients in an intervention group as compared with a control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of DPHR on self-care was assessed by using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) protocol for a 2-arm parallel group with a 1:1 allocation ratio. During a 4-month trial period, the control group benefited from the routine care; the intervention group additionally had access to the Web-based DPHR app besides routine care. During the trial, 2 time points at baseline and postintervention were used to evaluate the impact of the DPHR app. A sample size of 72 people was randomly and equally assigned to both the control and intervention groups. The primary outcome measure was the self-care status of the participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Test results showed that the self-care status in the intervention group in comparison with the control group had a significant difference. In addition, the dimensions of self-care, including normal values, changes trend, the last measured value, and the last time measured values had a significant difference while other dimensions had no significant difference. Furthermore, we found no correlation between Web-based DPHR system and covariates, including scores of weight, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum creatinine, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol, and planned visit adherence, as well as the change trend of mean for blood glucose and blood pressure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that as a result of the Web-based DPHR app, the self-care scores in the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group. In total, we found no correlation between the Web-based DPHR app and covariates, including planned visit adherence, HbA1c, serum creatinine, HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, weight, and the change trend of mean for blood glucose and blood pressure.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT): 2013082914522N1; http://www.irct.ir/searchresult.php?id= 14522&number=1 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6cC4PCcau).
authors: School of Paramedicine, Department of Health Information Technology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors: Amirabbas
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1679-9753
authors: A
authors: Azizi
authors: Robab
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0834-2481
authors: R
authors: Aboutorabi
authors: Zahra
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4154-3469
authors: Z
authors: Mazloum-Khorasani
authors: Monavar
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2029-6577
authors: M
authors: Afzal-Aghaea
authors: Hamed
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3081-0488
authors: H
authors: Tabesh
authors: Mahmood
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3945-7772
authors: M
authors: Tara
keywords: Iran; diabetes mellitus, type 2; electronic health records; health records, personal; self care; systematic review