Web-based intervention in improving the mental health status among patients with type 2 diabetes in southern India

Abstract

Abstract Background: Diabetes is one of many medical diseases that correlate with depression. This disease impacts several life implications due to its complications, ranging from economic burden to lifelong dependency. The present study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of a web-based model in improving the mental health status among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) attending a tertiary care hospital in Mysuru, southern India. Methodology: A 3-month quasi-experimental study was conducted among 545 T2DM patients attending the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Mysuru, southern India. Patients were asked to use diabetes care (https://www.diabetes-care.co.in/), a website that can predict the risk for uncontrolled diabetes and recommends lifestyle changes. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 items questionnaire was used to assess participants’ mental health at the beginning of the study and 3 months later. Results: Depression (moderate depression from 3.7% to 2% and severe depression from 0.4% to 0%), anxiety (severe anxiety from 1.3% to 0.2%), and stress (moderate stress from 5% to 0.7%). scores showed a reduction during post assessment period compared to the initial assessment. However, this difference was not statistically significant (<0.05). There was a negative correlation between all domains of quality of life (QoL) and depression, anxiety, and stress scores, implying that lower QoL scores were associated with more depression, anxiety, and stress scores and vice versa. Conclusion: Patients with T2DM using the web-based model that predicts the risk of uncontrolled diabetes and suggests lifestyle changes experienced an improvement in their mental health status 3 months’ postintervention.