Abstract
The enhanced usability as well as pervasiveness of smart phones has resulted in a
renewed interest as well as development of healthcare apps. The current era can be
called an mHealth revolution as medical apps created for smart phones are
flourishing in the market. To manage Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) effectively,
time, basic mathematics and memory is required. Individuals living with T1DM need
to count carbohydrates, monitor blood glucose levels and determine insulin dosages.
Research shows that the quality of life for individuals living with diabetes can be
enhanced through the effective management of diabetes with the use of smart
phones.
The behaviour of adolescents has the biggest impact on trying to achieve this
objective. Evidence suggests that the use of mHealth apps can be used effectively
as to monitor glucose levels, which is recognised as a core element for the effective
self-management of diabetes. Therefore, by finding out which mHealth apps
individuals living with T1DM are using to manage their illness effectively could be
used to generate recommendations that adolescents can adhere to when using
these specific mHealth apps to manage their illness more effectively.
An in-depth literature review was conducted which focused on using mHealth apps
to help manage T1DM as well as the role, benefits and challenges of mHealth apps.
A qualitative research methodology was carried out in order to contribute to the lack
of literature pertaining to how mHealth apps can assist adolescents with managing
T1DM more effectively. Evaluation criteria tools were used to rate specific mHealth
apps for diabetes self-management and focus group interviews were conducted in
order to find out about the views, opinions and experiences of the individuals who
used the apps. The main objective of this study was to find out which mHealth apps
are enablers to support the effective management of T1DM.
Essentially, committed individuals who were already using mHealth apps to manage
their T1DM successfully were sought. Recommendations were then created for
adolescents who were experiencing difficulty in managing their illness. These
recommendations were then tested to determine whether it can or cannot assist
adolescents with managing their T1DM by making use of mHealth apps.
M.Phil. (Information Management)