Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Human Factors
Date Submitted: Aug 19, 2022
Date Accepted: Nov 8, 2022
Date Submitted to PubMed: Nov 8, 2022
Usability and teachability of continuous glucose monitoring devices in older adults and diabetes educators: a task analysis and ease of use survey
ABSTRACT
Background:
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices continuously sense and relay glucose concentration data from the interstitial fluid to a mobile phone or receiver. Older adults benefit from this continuous monitoring of glucose levels. Proper deployment of the sensing wire is facilitated by a specialized applicator.
Objective:
To assess a new seventh-generation (G7) CGM device (Dexcom) for use by adults 65 years of age or older (older adults) and certified diabetes care and education specialists (CDCESs). Ease of use related to intradermal insertion and mobile application set-up will be assessed and compared to fifth- and sixth-generation systems.
Methods:
Formal task analysis was conducted to enumerate the number and complexity of tasks associated with CGM deployment. We recruited ten older adults with no prior CGM experience and ten CDCESs to assess ease of use through hands-on insertion and initiation of a G7 system followed by a survey and, for older adults, a system usability scale (SUS) survey.
Results:
About half as many tasks are needed to deploy G7 compared to G6. Older adults and CDCESs reported overall high usability of the G7. CDCESs noted G7’s easier setup compared to previous generations. The SUS score for the CGM system was 92.8, which reflects excellent usability.
Conclusions:
For CDCESs and for older adults using the G7 CGM system, cognitive burden is relatively low and reduced from previous CGM systems. Easing of this burden and simplification of the glucose monitoring aspect of proper diabetes management will likely contribute to improved outcomes in this population.
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