Type 2 Diabetes Management Intervention Using a blended in-person and Mobile Application: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

Background: The prevalence and incidence of T2DM have been disproportionately high among South Asians. Gini Health recently developed a 12-week T2DM management program that uses a combination of tailored in-person and mobile health interventions delivery. Currently, the feasibility of this 12-week intervention remains unclear. Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the 12-week program in changing blood glucose (HBA1c), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), blood pressure (BP), body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference.Methods: This study used a single-arm pre-post design. The Gini Health care team delivered the 12-week intervention in India and collected intervention outcome. The intervention is a comprehensive lifestyle program focusing on dietary and physical activity (e.g., emphasis on 10,000 steps per day). The program is free for participants to join during the evaluation period. Participants were aged 21 to 70 years living in India, with a diagnosis of T2DM. Anonymous data were provided to researchers for secondary analysis. Paired t-tests were used to evaluate changes in study outcomes. Results: Fifty participants were recruited for the study. The mean age of participants was 53.45 (SD 12.38) years old. HbA1c, LDL, SBP, DBP, BMI, and waist circumference were all significantly lower following the intervention relative to baseline (p<.05). Majority of the participants (86%; n=43) did not change their blood glucose medication throughout the intervention. Conclusion: This study showed preliminary evidence that the program developed by Gini Health could improve health-related outcomes for T2DM management after 12 weeks. This intervention offered a blended in-person and mhealth intervention delivery approach to manage T2DM. This kind of delivery model has the potential to be scaled across South Asian communities.