Can a digital health program improve diabetes self-management and psychosocial functioning?

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Following the successful development and evaluation of an automated interactive conversational program (TLC Diabetes) that participants access via the phone to improve diabetes self-management, a new program (My Diabetes Coach - MDC) is now being evaluated. METHODS: The MDC program includes a mobile app that uses an animated virtual coach ‘Laura’ to guide users to improve diabetes self-management, including blood glucose monitoring, healthy eating, becoming more physically active, medication taking and foot care. The app provides users with support, monitoring, education and feedback. Further support is also provided via a website, which includes links to information about diabetes and a discussion board for program users. Participants also upload their blood glucose results via a cellphone. 1000 people with diabetes are being recruited to a randomised “real world†trial to evaluate the health outcomes of the MDC program. FINDINGS: A published randomized study of TLC diabetes has demonstrated significantly improved glycemic control (10% improvement in HbA1c) and mental health functioning. Program use was high and medication costs were also lower for intervention participants. The MDC program is now being evaluated to see if it can achieve comparable engagement and health outcomes. DISCUSSION: The presentation will discuss how digital health programs can enhance self-efficacy and motivation, teach new strategies and chronic disease self-management. Digital health programs also have great potential for wider implementation and scalability to a large number of people with chronic conditions in the population.