Working Toward an mHealth Platform for Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: Focus Groups With Teens, Parents, and Providers

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of the study was to explore facilitators and barriers to self-management behaviors in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to inform the development of an mHealth platform. Methods Eight adolescents with T1D, 9 parents, and 13 health care providers participated in separate focus groups that explored teen self-management behaviors. Results Adolescents and their parents have distinct preferences for handling diabetes management and use of mHealth technologies. Health care providers support the use of new technologies yet acknowledge concern meeting the potential increased volume of communication requests from teens and families. Conclusion Stakeholders agreed that an ideal mHealth platform would facilitate open communication between teens and their care network and easily integrate with other diabetes technologies. Future directions include incorporating additional feedback from stakeholders to build and modify the mHealth platform. The use of mHealth platforms could be integrated into clinical practice to optimize self-management and support communication between educators, providers, and families in between clinic visits.