An mHealth Text Messaging Program Providing Symptom Detection Training and Psychoeducation to Improve Hypoglycemia Self-Management: Intervention Development Study

Abstract

Background Hypoglycemia remains a challenge for roughly 25% of people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) despite using advanced technologies such as continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) or automated insulin delivery systems. Factors impacting hypoglycemia self-management behaviors (including reduced ability to detect hypoglycemia symptoms and unhelpful hypoglycemia beliefs) can lead to hypoglycemia development in people with T1D who use advanced diabetes technology. Objective This study aims to develop a scalable, personalized mobile health (mHealth) behavioral intervention program to improve hypoglycemia self-management and ultimately reduce hypoglycemia in people with T1D who use advanced diabetes technology. Methods We (a multidisciplinary team, including clinical and health psychologists, diabetes care and education specialists, endocrinologists, mHealth interventionists and computer engineers, qualitative researchers, and patient partners) jointly developed an mHealth text messaging hypoglycemia behavioral intervention program based on user-centered design principles. The following five iterative steps were taken: (1) conceptualization of hypoglycemia self-management processes and relevant interventions; (2) identification of text message themes and message content development; (3) message revision; (4) patient partner assessments for message readability, language acceptability, and trustworthiness; and (5) message finalization and integration with a CGM data–connected mHealth SMS text message delivery platform. An mHealth web-based SMS text message delivery platform that communicates with a CGM glucose information-sharing platform was also developed. Results The mHealth SMS text messaging hypoglycemia behavioral intervention program HypoPals, directed by patients’ own CGM data, delivers personalized intervention messages to (1) improve hypoglycemia symptom detection and (2) elicit self-reflection, provide fact-based education, and suggest practical health behaviors to address unhelpful hypoglycemia beliefs and promote hypoglycemia self-management. The program is designed to message patients up to 4 times per day over a 10-week period. Conclusions A rigorous conceptual framework, a multidisciplinary team (including patient partners), and behavior change techniques were incorporated to create a scalable, personalized mHealth SMS text messaging behavioral intervention. This program was systematically developed to improve hypoglycemia self-management in advanced diabetes technology users with T1D. A clinical trial is needed to evaluate the program’s efficacy for future clinical implementation.