Developing a Culturally Adapted Digital Health Application for Older Hispanic Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: Protocol...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Health Literacy
• Medication Adherence

Background:

• Over 40% of Hispanic individuals have below basic health literacy, impacting chronic condition management like type 2 diabetes (T2D).
• Health literacy is a key barrier to chronic disease self-management and medication adherence.
• Ambulatory care clinical (ACC) pharmacists use comprehensive medication management (CMM) to address these barriers, but current methods vary in effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To revise, develop, and pilot test a culturally adapted digital health app.
• To enhance health literacy and medication adherence in older Hispanic adults with T2D.
• To integrate interactive educational modules into pharmacist-delivered CMM.

Main Methods:

• Refined and modernized a previously developed intervention into an interactive digital health app.
• Conducted usability and acceptability testing with 20 patients and 10 ACC pharmacists.
• Pilot tested the app with 40 Hispanic adults (≥50 years) with T2D, assessing medication adherence, A1c, and glucose levels.

Main Results:

• The digital app was modernized and completed for acceptability and usability testing.
• Anticipated results include above-average usability and acceptability scores.
• Expected health outcomes include improved medication adherence (>80%), reduced A1c (≥0.75%), and reduced fasting glucose (≥25%).

Conclusions:

• The culturally adapted digital health app is expected to be acceptable and usable for patients and pharmacists.
• Successful results will support wider dissemination and adaptation for other chronic diseases and populations.
• Establishes a framework for digital health interventions in diverse healthcare settings.