Background: Self-care behaviors are very important to control type 2 diabetes. The current study was conducted aiming at determining the effect of the educational intervention based on mobile short message service on the self-care behaviors in patients with type 2 diabetes in Khorram Abad. Methods: This study was a semi-experimental study on 191 patients with type 2 diabetes (45 cases and 45 control). Data collection tools included a demographic information form, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Self-Care Scale, and Self-Efficacy Scale. Three to four educational messages were sent daily through mobile phones as an educational intervention. Data were analyzed with SPSS V24 at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The data analysis indicated that the average score of self-care, self-efficacy, and blood sugar was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group before and after the intervention (P<0.001). However, in terms of the physical activity variable, this relationship was not statistically significant in the case and control groups. Conclusion: Educational interventions to empower diabetic patients by strengthening their self-care can be an effective way to improve the health of diabetic patients. Therefore, it is suggested to use patient empowerment programs, especially with a self-care approach, to improve the health of patients.
