Effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing-based telephone Follow-up in Diabetes Management

Abstract

<p>Diabetes mellitus is a chronic complex disease requiring persistent self-management by patients and ongoing support from the providers. The outpatient diabetes clinic of a teaching hospital in the Midwest has 78.3% patients with uncontrolled diabetes. The purpose of the project was to assess the effectiveness of telephone follow up using motivational interviewing techniques in improving glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), glycemic control, and self-efficacy of patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. The project involved 30 participants with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes who had a HbA1c 8% or above. The intervention included delivery of five motivational interviewing-based phone calls to the participants over 10 weeks. Patients had to attend diabetes self-management education group classes prior to the project. The diabetes empowerment scale-short form surveys conducted assessed the self-efficacy. Statistically significant improvements were noted in HbA1c levels, with a baseline HbA1c of 10.408% ± 1.71 and the post intervention HbA1c of 9.484% ± 1.62 (<em>p </em>= .008). The fasting blood glucose decreased significantly by 28.4%, pre-lunch blood glucose decreased by 29%, and the pre-dinner blood glucose decreased by 29% by the end of the study (<em>p</em> = .00). The body mass index improved slightly from 31.4 ± 6.1 to 30.37 ± 8.0 kg/m² (<em>p </em>= .26). Medication adherence improved significantly. The diabetes related self-efficacy also improved with the interventions. The motivational interviewing-based low-cost telephone follow-ups are effective approaches for improving HbA1c, glycemic control, and diabetes related self-efficacy of patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus.</p>