Abstract:
The main objective of this research was to improve health literacy and glycemic control among the elderly with type 2 diabetes using a web-based application. The specific objectives of this study were: 1) To analyze the causal model of relationships between health literacy, self-efficacy, self-care behavior, and blood sugar levels in a sample of 455 people, which were selected using a stratified random sampling method. The research instrument used in the data collection was a questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.8040.964. The structural equation model was analyzed using the LISREL software. 2) To develop a blood glucose monitoring web-based application using the Apache Web Server software processed in PHP, the MySQL database, and the Visual Studio Code software. The sample consisted of 5 information technology experts and 30 elderly people with type 2 diabetes, who were selected using the purposive sampling method. The completeness assessment form for the web-based application used in this study had a reliability coefficient of 0.76, while the satisfaction survey had a reliability coefficient of 0.81. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics. 3) To compare the effectiveness of web-based applications in improving health literacy, self-efficacy, self-care behavior, and glycemic control before and after the use of web-based applications and in the follow-up. The sample consisted of 60 elderly people with type 2 diabetes, 30 people in the experimental group, and 30 people in the control group. The data were collected using a health literacy scale, a self-efficacy scale, a self-care behavior scale, and blood glucose tests (FBS, HbA1C) with reliability coefficients of 0.84-0.95. The data analysis was performed using a repeated measure ANOVA. The results showed that 1) in the causal relationship model developed in this study, self-care behavior was the direct negative cause of blood sugar levels. Health literacy and self-efficacy were the negative indirect causes of blood sugar levels, while self-care behavior was the mediator variable. The developed model was consistent with the empirical data, with Chi-Square = 62.20, df = 54, relative Chi-Square = 1.15, p = 0.20733, RMSEA = 0.0183, RMR = 0.00895, SRMR = 0.0186, GFI = 0.983, AGFI = 0.962, CFI = 0.999, and NFI = 0.989. All variables can explain 97.8% of the variance in blood sugar levels. 2) The web-based application had a significant level of completeness as assessed by professionals. Specifically, 98% of the respondents rated the application highly (x̄ = 19.60, S.D. = 0.547). The elderly with type 2 diabetes were satisfied with the web-based application at the highest level (x̄ = 4.66, S.D. = 0.546). 3) After using this web-based application and during the follow-up period, the experimental group showed a significant increase in mean scores of health literacy, self-efficacy, and self-care behavior, as well as a significant decrease in blood sugar levels (p < 0.001). The use of web-based applications had effects on health literacy (66.5%, η2 = 0.665), self-efficacy (59.3%, η2 = 0.593) and self-care behavior (32.6%, η2 = 0.326). In addition, the use of web-based application also affected fasting blood sugar level (FBS) (30.9%, (η2 = 0.309) and cumulative sugar level (HbA1C) (26.6%, η2 = 0.266). The results indicated that the use of web-based applications improved health literacy, self-efficacy, and self-care behavior for glycemic control. This web-based application improved the patients blood sugar levels to achieve the desired glycemic control. Moreover, after 12 weeks, the effects of the use of this web-based application on health literacy, self-efficacy, self-care behaviors, FBS, and HbA1C were maintained. Therefore, the developed web-based application can be widely utilized as an option for blood sugar monitoring and control among the elderly with type 2 diabetes to reduce complications and dependency, including improving the quality of life of the elderly.