Determining the Impact of Social Networks for Increasing Life Expectancy of Patients with Non-Communicable Diseases in COVID-19 Pandemic

Non-communicable diseases can be recognized as fatal chronic diseases that ground for many side effects, complications, low quality of life, and silent deaths, for millions of people in the COVID-19 pandemic globally at present. Patients are required continuing care and awareness for a long time to maintain a better health condition and prevent complications in this COVID-19 pandemic environment to escape death. A patient with a low-quality lifestyle often receives such care of attention only at a medical clinic or a doctor's visit. However, the current quarantine curfew and the lockdown process in countries have made it very difficult to visit a medical clinic or a doctor. Hence, it is essential to identify alternatives for getting aware people of non-communicable diseases. This research study attempts to ascertain how people with non-communicable diseases can achieve a higher life expectancy escaping complications and deaths by controlling their blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and BMI (Body Mass Index) in this COVID-19 outbreak. Here we conducted an at-home awareness program using popular social networking sites (SNS) WhatsApp and Facebook to improve the living conditions of patients suffering from non-communicable diseases to escape complications and deaths. The study was carried out on a group of 620 patients who registered in Rathnapura teaching hospital non-communicable disease clinic and 120 patients were selected randomly for the analysis. The majority of the patients' age is between 45 years and 65 years. Patients were divided into two groups randomly (60 per each); control and normal, and data were gathered. The independent t-test was used to test for differences between two groups, and a paired sample t-test was used to confirm the difference. Results revealed the positive impact of the at-home SNS awareness program on controlling LDL cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, and blood pressure (systolic and diastolic). Also, the factors have a strong relationship with the SNS awareness program. However, there is no impact on the BMI factor from the program. The SNS awareness program and the number of referring times of SNS impact significantly controlling the levels of LDL cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, and blood pressure. This would be better to explain to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from non-communicable diseases in this COVID-19 pandemic environment to escape complications and deaths. Future research directions should look at why the at-home SNS awareness program does not affect BMI well-being, which is another important factor in maintaining a high level of life expectancy in those patients.