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Objective: Personal health coaching (PHC) programs have become increasingly utilized as a type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) self-management intervention strategy. This article evaluates the impact of PHC programs on glycemic management and related psychological outcomes. Data Sources: Electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science). Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Randomized controlled trials (RCT) published between January 1990 and September 2017 and focused on the effectiveness of PHC interventions in adults with T2DM. Data Extraction: Using prespecified format guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework. Data Synthesis: Quantitative synthesis for primary (ie, hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c]) and qualitative synthesis for selected psychological outcomes. Results: Meta-analyses of 22 selected publications showed PHC interventions favorably impact HbA1c levels in studies with follow-ups at ≤3 months (−0.32% [95% confidence interval, CI = −0.55 to −0.09%]), 4 to 6 months (−0.50% [95% CI = −0.65 to −0.35%], 7 to 9 months (−0.66% [95% CI = −1.04 to −0.28%]), and 12 to 18 months (−0.24% [95% CI = −0.38 to −0.10%]). Subsequent subgroup analyses led to no conclusive patterns, except for greater magnitude of effect size in studies with conventional (2-arm) RCT design. Conclusions: The PHC appears effective in improving glycemic control. Further research is required to assess the effectiveness of specific program components, training, and supervision approaches and to determine the cost-effectiveness of PHC interventions.

Introduction We investigated the experience of individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who participated in an intervention in which the key elements were the provision of a smartphone and self-monitoring software. The interviews focused on use of a smartphone and the effects on motivation for health behavior change. Methods This was a qualitative evaluation of participants in a larger T2DM self-management randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted at the Black Creek Community Health Centre (BCCHC) in Toronto, Canada (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02036892). The study is based on semi-structured interviews ( n = 11) that were audio taped and analyzed with a thematic analytic approach. The RCT compared the effectiveness of six months of smartphone-based self-monitoring and health coaching with a control group who received health coaching without internet or smartphone-based assistance. Results Qualitative data analyses resulted in derivation of four major themes that describe participant experience: (a) ‘smartphone and software’, describes smartphone use in relation to health behavior change; (b) ‘health coach’ describes how client/health coach relationships were assisted by smartphone use; (c) ‘overall experience’ describes perceptions of the overall intervention; and (d) ‘frustrations in managing chronic conditions’ describes difficulties with the complexities of T2DM management from a patient perspective. Discussion Findings suggest that interventions with T2DM assisted by smartphone software and health coaches actively engage individuals in improved hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) control.