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Author Spotlight: Advancing Type 1 Diabetes Research Using Innovative Pancreatic Slice Platforms
Published on: March 15, 2024
Use of communication technologies by people with type 1 diabetes in the social networking era. A chance for
Gabriel Giménez-Pérez1, Assumpta Recasens2, Olga Simó2
1Endocrinology Unit, Hospital General de Granollers, Granollers, Spain; Doctorate Programme, Medicine Departament, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
Aims:
To evaluate the health-related use of Web 2.0 tools by patients with type 1 diabetes.
Methods:
Cross-sectional survey assessing views and usage of the Internet, Apps and Web 2.0.
Results:
Number of participants: 289 (age 42.8±13.5 years; diabetes duration 18.4±12.2 years; 58.7% males; 39% with an upper secondary or higher education level). Web 2.0 usage for health purposes was low with 19.6% and 14% of Web 2.0 members (147; 50.9%) having health-related contacts and posting health comments. Health-related Apps were used by 35.4% of Smartphone owners (161; 55.7%). 75.3% patients would share information online with professionals, preferably through e-mail (78.7%) rather than Facebook (47.7%). 141 (66.5%) of those willing to share information would participate in a professional-moderated Facebook group.
Conclusions:
Web 2.0 and Apps usage for health purposes is low. The difference between the use of Web 2.0 networks and the willingness to participate in professional-moderated Web 2.0 groups points to the need of a higher implication of health professionals in promoting Web 2.0 technologies if these are to be adopted in a clinical setting. Currently, e-mail is the tool to be considered when aiming to increase online communication with patients with type 1 diabetes.
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