Digital health keeps patients at risk for diabetes on track

A study, published in The Journal of Aging and Health, examines the impact digital health and coaching have on engagement of patients at risk of developing diabetes.

The study included 501 Medicare participants at-risk of developing diabetes and enrolled them in a diabetes program combining digital health and coaching with a clinician. Participants were measured at 16 weeks, six months and 12 months.

The 92 percent of participants that completed at least nine of the 16 core lessons lost an average of 7.5 percent of their average body weight. Glucose control and cholesterol were also improved, as well as the self-reported rates of well-being, depression and self-care. Participants averaged attending 19 of the 31 possible weekly engagement programs, further showing the increase in adherence to treatment.

“This study demonstrated that older adults who agreed to participate in this program were able to engage meaningfully and gain important health and wellness benefits during a relatively short time frame,” concluded Cynthia M. Castro Sweet, PhD, the first author on the study, and colleagues. “The results from this study are added evidence that chronic disease risk reduction is achievable through a variety of modalities, including digital-based programs with human coaching. With the added advantage of accessibility and scalability, digital programs with human coaching should be an important part of the comprehensive health improvement solution for chronic disease risk reduction for older adults.”