Effectiveness of the occupational therapy program in the virtual environment for the improvement of the quality of life and functional capacity of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, Lima, Peru, 2021

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of the Occupational Therapy Program called “Type 2 in Positive”, in the virtual environment to improve the quality of life and functional capacity of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, in the year 2021. Materials and methods: The research was of quantitative approach, applied type, quasi-experimental design, with pre-test and post-test, longitudinal approach and explanatory scope. Data were collected twice in the form of a survey of type 2 diabetic patients belonging to the “Type 2 in Positive” program, applied virtually to 100 diabetic participants who represented the population, and census sampling was applied to take the totality as a sample. The evaluation instruments were validated by technical evaluators and then piloted to estimate their internal consistency. Results: It was observed that the quality-of-life scores before the beginning of the program and after the program were significantly different (Z = –9.58; p < 0.001). Moreover, differences were observed between functional capacity before and after the program (Z = –9,39; p < 0,001). Conclusions: The occupational therapy program in the virtual environment is significantly effective in improving the quality of life and functional capacity in diabetic patients.