Turtle Therapy on HbA1c and Self-Efficacy Levels With Type 2 Diabetes

Karadeniz Technical University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; Pet-Human Bonding

Treatments: Behavioral: Video Turtle Therapy (Pet therapy); Behavioral: Live Turtle Therapy (Pet therapy)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07298837

RCS04072024

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study examined the effect of live and video turtle therapy on hemoglobin A1c tests and self-efficacy levels in adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus for the first time using pre-test and post-test methods.

Full description

In the international literature reviewed, only two studies reported that pet therapy reduced hemoglobin A1c tests and increased self-efficacy in adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. One study examined the use of live fish (repeated care behaviors during pet care, such as feeding twice a day and cleaning the aquarium). In the other study, adolescents who owned different types of pets (dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, rodents, etc.) were included in the study. In this context, our study will be the first study conducted in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus using live and video turtle therapy at the national and international level. With the theoretical clarification of the methodological steps, this study, which has methodological characteristics, is unique in that it compares live animal (turtle) and video animal (turtle video) therapy in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, making it a pet therapy study conducted both nationally and internationally in both turtles and individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Within the scope of all this information, this study examined the effect of live and video turtle therapy on hemoglobin A1c and self-efficacy levels in adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Enrollment: 51 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Being 18 years of age or older,
• Agreement to participate in the study,
• Being literate,
• Being able to communicate verbally,
• No vision, hearing, or speech impairments,
• Agreeing to adopt and care for a turtle (turtle group),
• Ownership of a smartphone, tablet, or computer (video turtle group),
• Having been diagnosed with T2DM and having been receiving DM treatment for at least 6 months,
• HbA1c >7%.

Exclusion criteria

• Refusal to participate in the study,
• Not having T2DM,
• Having received DM treatment for less than 6 months,
• Having a psychiatric disorder diagnosed by a psychiatrist.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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51 participants in 3 patient groups

Live Turtle Group

Experimental group

Description:

Before starting the study, a nurse who was unaware of the study details (to prevent bias) administered the "Structured Patient Information Form" and "Diabetes Medication Self-Efficacy Scale", and the "hemoglobin A1c " value measured immediately before the study began was recorded. At the end of the three-month pet therapy period, the same nurse administered the "Diabetes Medication Self-Efficacy Scale" test, and the physician recorded the "hemoglobin A1c" value result as requested. During this process, patients continued their routine Type 2 Diyabetus Mellitus treatment.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Live Turtle Therapy (Pet therapy)

Video Turtle Group

Experimental group

Description:

Before starting the study, a nurse who was unaware of the study details (to prevent bias) administered the "Structured Patient Information Form" and "Diabetes Medication Self-Efficacy Scale", and the "hemoglobin A1c" value result measured immediately before the study began was recorded.In addition, at the end of the three-month pet therapy period, the same nurse administered the "Diabetes Medication Self-Efficacy Scale" and the physician recorded the "hemoglobin A1c" value result requested. During this process, patients continued their routine Type 2 Diyabetus Mellitus treatment.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Video Turtle Therapy (Pet therapy)

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

A nurse who was unaware of the study details prior to its commencement (to prevent bias) administered the "Structured Patient Information Form" and "Diabetes Medication Self-Efficacy Scale", and the "hemoglobin A1c" value result obtained immediately before the study began was recorded. No intervention was performed on these patients. Patients only continued their routine Type 2 Diyabetus Mellitus treatments. In addition, "Diabetes Medication Self-Efficacy Scale" was administered to patients at the end of the three-month period, and the "hemoglobin A1c" value requested by the physician was recorded.