The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Internet education on plasma glucose and serum lipids in female type 2 diabetic patients.

Control and experimental groups were assessed by a pre-test and at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months. Fourteen patients were assigned randomly to an intervention group and 15 to a control group. Patients in the intervention group were requested to input their blood glucose levels everyday by cellular phone or wire Internet for 1 year. The goal of the intervention was to keep blood glucose concentrations close to the normal range (glycosylated hemoglobin, HbA1c<7%). An intervention was applied to the intervention group weekly for 1 year. Optimal recommendations were sent weekly by a short message service from a cellular phone and wire Internet.

Patients in the intervention group had a significant mean change in HbA1c, from 7.6% at pre-test to 6.9%, at 3 months and equalized at 6.7% at 12 months. There was no significant time and group differences observed in the serum lipids.

These findings indicate that Internet education would improve and maintain the normal range of HbA1c in female type 2 diabetic patients.