Accessibility and Openness to Diabetes Management Support via Mobile Phones: A Survey of People with Type 1 Diabetes Using Advanced Diabetes Technologies
ABSTRACT
Background:
Little is known about the feasibility of mobile health (mHealth) support among people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) using advanced diabetes technologies including continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and hybrid closed-loop insulin pumps (HCLs).
Objective:
To evaluate patient access and openness to receiving mHealth diabetes support in people with T1D using CGMs/HCLs.
Methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional survey among T1D patients using CGMs or HCLs managed in an academic medical center. Participants reported information regarding their mobile device usage, cellular call/text message/internet connectivity, and openness to various channels of mHealth communication (smartphone applications or “apps”, text messages, and interactive voice response calls or IVR calls). Participants’ demographic characteristics and CGM data were collected from medical records. Analyses focused on differences in openness to mHealth and mHealth communication channels across groups defined by demographic variables and measures of glycemic control.
Results:
Among all participants (n=310; 64% female; mean age: 45 (SD:16)), 98% reported active cellphone use, and 80% were receptive to receiving mHealth support to improve glucose control. Among participants receptive to mHealth support, 98% were willing to share CGM glucose data for mHealth diabetes self-care assistance. Most (71%) were open to receiving messages via apps, 56% were open to text messages, and 12% were open to IVR calls. Older participants were more likely to prefer text messages (P=0.009) and IVR (P=0.03) than younger participants.
Conclusions:
Most people with T1D who use advanced diabetes technologies have access to cell phones and are receptive to receiving mHealth support to improve diabetes control. Clinical Trial: Not applicable
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