WhatsApp self-care education may improve HbA1c and daily self-care in women with type 2 diabetes
Last updated May 29, 2026
Key finding
In this 3-month pre-post study, a nurse-led instructional WhatsApp group was linked with better diabetes self-care scores and a moderate drop in HbA1c among women with type 2 diabetes.
This study followed 62 women with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia during a 3-month WhatsApp education program. Self-care scores improved across all measured areas, and average HbA1c fell from 8.61% to 7.92%. Because there was no separate control group, the size of the true intervention effect remains uncertain.
Quick read
Study at a glance
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EvidenceScore™
Low
Study type
non-randomized clinical trial (non-RCT or NRCT)
Follow-up
Short-Term (≤3 mo)
Risk of bias
High Risk
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Plain-language summary
What this paper says
A plain-language read of the study’s main message and where it applies.
Study focus
In this 3-month pre-post study, a nurse-led instructional WhatsApp group was linked with better diabetes self-care scores and a moderate drop in HbA1c among women with type 2 diabetes.
Published in
Journal Reference
Publication details and source links for this paper.
Alhazmy RS, Khalil AH, Almutary H. Effects of an instructional WhatsApp group on self-care and HbA1c among female patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. PLoS One. 2024;19(9):e0305845. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0305845
Main Effects
↓ HbA1c changed from 8.61% to 7.92% over 3 months
↑ Total diabetes self-care score improved from 96.35 to 132.10
↑ Self-care domains improved across diet, exercise, monitoring, adherence, follow-up, and foot care
Evidence Suggest
- A structured WhatsApp education workflow was linked with improved self-care scores in this cohort
- HbA1c showed moderate improvement over the intervention period
- Without a control group, causal certainty remains limited
Who this applies to
Adult women with type 2 diabetes
Keep in Mind
Findings come from a pre-post design, not a randomized trial
Between the Lines
- No randomized or parallel control group
- Single-site sample of women only
- Small final analyzed sample (n=62)
- Short follow-up and no long-term durability data
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