This original research from Jothydev’s Diabetes Research Centre was presented at the prestigious 83rd Scientific Sessions in 2023, organized by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in San Diego.

      Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with personal, familial, social, and financial issues that substantially affect the quality of life (QoL) of people with diabetes. Telehealth interventions have been found to be highly beneficial in improving the QoL in people with chronic illnesses and hence rank top among the treatment interventions. The Diabetes Tele-Management System (DTMS®), a telehealth intervention model developed in 1997, involves unique software and a trained multidisciplinary diabetes team communicating with patients via phone/email for slow, steady titration of drugs combined with frequent tele-counseling, apart from 2-3 physical visits to the hospital.

      The study assessed and compared QoL in people with T2D adhering and not adhering to telemedicine over 15 years. A total of 451 people with T2D (62.91 ± 11.64 Y; 37.8% females, duration of diabetes: 8.41 ± 2.78 Y) were de-identified. The treatment group [TG - 63.41±11.73 Y; 62.92% males; 8.04±1.82 Y of T2D] included people with T2D with ≥1F-F and ≥5 TM consultations per year. The propensity score-matched control group [CG - 62.17±11.50 Y; 58.69% males; 7.98±2.96 Y of T2D] included people with T2D who were not on regular follow-up with compromised F-F and TM visits. The EQ-5D questionnaire (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression) was administered annually as part of clinic SOP. The responses collected at 15±5 Y were statistically analyzed and compared.

      The results showed that the treatment group experienced a higher score for all domains of QoL than the control group, which signifies the multitude of benefits of choosing telehealth interventions.

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