The effects of mobile phone-assisted health education programs on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most prevalent metabolic disorders, with type 2 DM being the most common form. It ranks as the sixth-leading cause of death worldwide, yet medication adherence and self-care remain low. Given that knowledge significantly influences these outcomes, this paper aims to evaluate the effect of mobile phone-assisted health education programs on patients with type 2 DM.Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and EBSCOhost, employing keywords relevant to the research topic. The research question was structured using the PICOS framework: (1) Population: patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus; (2) Intervention: health education via mobile phone; (3) Comparison: conventional health education; (4) Outcome: diabetes self-management, glycemic control, and medication adherence; (5) Study design: randomized controlled trials.Results: The search identified approximately 678 articles discussing health education interventions using mobile phones. After a thorough screening process, 10 articles met the inclusion criteria. The findings suggest that mobile phone-based education interventions can enhance adherence to diabetes self-management, improve glycemic control, and positively impact clinical parameters such as lipid levels, body mass index, blood pressure, and medication adherence.Conclusion: Health education interventions delivered by healthcare professionals through mobile phones can significantly improve self-care management and prevent complications in patients with type 2 diabetes who maintain controlled blood glucose levels.