Telehealth Education via WeChat Improves the Quality of Life of Parents of Children with Type-1 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of telehealth education and care guidance via WeChat (Tencent Ltd., Shenzhen, China; a popular smartphone-based social media application) on improving the quality of life of parents of children with type-1 diabetes mellitus. Methods A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted in our hospital from March 2019 to September 2020 to compare the quality of life of parents of children with type-1 diabetes mellitus in the intervention group and the control group. Results Six months after discharge, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores of parents in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). Compared with the SAS and SDS scores at discharge time, those scores of parents at 6 months after discharge time in intervention group were significantly lower (p < 0.05), while those scores of parents at 6 months after discharge time in control was similar (p > 0.05). Six months after discharge, the scores of the physiological field, psychological field, social relationship field, and environmental field in the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group according to the result of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Scale (WHOQOL-BREF; p < 0.05). Conclusion Using WeChat to provide telehealth education and home care guidance to the parents of children with type-1 diabetes mellitus can effectively relieve the anxiety and depression of the parents and improve their quality of life.

Understanding the Effectiveness and Design of Parent-Oriented Mobile Health Interventions: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis

“…Diabetes related health was assessed in seven studies as glycemic control measured as Hemoglobin A1C (HgbA1C) levels. Two studies (29%) demonstrated a signi cant improvement in glycemic control in the mHealth group 51,52 ; in a third study (14%) the signi cant improvement favoured the control group. 37…”

“…52,81,86 Resilience was signi cantly improved in two of the three (67%) studies which measured the construct 62,68 and quality of Life (QoL), which was assessed in seven studies, with scores signi cantly improved three (43%) of the times it was measured. 51,52,82 Social Psychological Outcomes A parent's relationship quality with their family, or their ill child, was measured in three studies. Two of the studies (67%) reported a signi cant improvement in the intervention group.…”

“…77 Parent anxiety score was measured in six studies and signi cant intervention-related improvements were observed four times (67%). 52,81,86 Resilience was signi cantly improved in two of the three (67%) studies which measured the construct 62,68 and quality of Life (QoL), which was assessed in seven studies, with scores signi cantly improved three (43%) of the times it was measured. 51,52,82 Social Psychological Outcomes A parent's relationship quality with their family, or their ill child, was measured in three studies.…”

Integrating psychosocial and behavioral interventions into type 1 diabetes care

“…Parents had lower depressive symptoms at 9 months (postintervention) and 15 months (follow-up), with no impact on child glycemic outcomes; researchers noted the efficiency of stepped care in matching treatment intensity to family needs. A second RCT ( n = 92) investigated the impact of providing support via WeChat to newly diagnosed families in China [14 ▪ ]. Parents received health education modules via WeChat, and a medical staff member was available on WeChat for 3 h each evening to answer parent questions.…”

“…With respect to glycemia, nine studies reported favorable changes [12 ▪ ,13 ▪▪ ,14 ▪ ,15 ▪ ,22 ▪ ,23,26 ▪ ,28 ▪▪ ,30 ▪▪ ], seven found no change [9,10 ▪▪ ,16 ▪ ,18,19 ▪ ,21,31 ▪ ], and one reported an increase in HbA1c among intervention recipients [20 ▪ ]; five studies did not evaluate or report glucose metrics [8 ▪ ,24,25 ▪▪ ,27 ▪ ,29 ▪ ]. Psychosocial care is important independent of its relationship to glucose, and should be provided irrespective of the likelihood of improving glycemia.…”