Telemedicine Use and Selfmanagement Behaviors of Persons with Type 2 DM in Luzon Philippines during the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

Background: Diabetes progresses not only as a disorder but also as a public health concern and management of this condition entails continual medical care to minimize the possibility of long-term health complications. Technological advancements and the increase in internet use in the Philippines has been seen to contribute to the improvement of telemedicine delivery–specifically, in terms of access and dissemination of health information. Amid the enhanced community quarantine period, there has been an intense increase in the adoption of telemedicine practices. Aim: The researchers specifically aim to 1. Determine the diabetes-specific characteristics of the selected persons with T2DM and the frequency of their telemedicine consultation during the COVID-19 pandemic;2. Determine the respondents’ satisfaction with their telemedicine experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic;3. Determine different barriers of telemedicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic;and 4. Determine the respondents’ self-care activities related to diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: An online survey, which was adapted from the Diabetes Self Management Questionnaire (DSMQ) and Usefulness, Satisfaction, and Ease of use (USE), was distributed through Facebook in June 2021. The purposive sample included Luzon residents with T2DM, aged 20 and above. The gathered data was analyzed using descriptive statistics Results: The study identified that glucose management yielded the highest mean score of 6.90 among the self-care activities related to diabetes during the COVID 19 pandemic. Most of the participants only had one telemedicine consult, and the majority did not change their service provider because their current doctor uses telemedicine. The diabetes-specific characteristics, such as body mass index (BMI) and family history, may have contributed to the respondents' decision to use telemedicine. Most users–whether it is their first usage or not–had been adequately satisfied with their experience in using telemedicine consultation, but the most significant problem encountered were connectivity issues. Discussion: Conclusion: As telemedicine continues to emerge during the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers aim to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on how a chronic illness, specifically T2DM, can be managed remotely yet effectively.