First of its Kind Research Project for Mobile Diabetes Management
Diabetes News Thursday, February 23rd, 2012
PHILADELPHIA, FEB. 21, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ — Can mobile tools and services help people with diabetes control their condition?
To find out, dLife, the nation’s premier online diabetes community resource and hub, and its partner, Vital mHealth, a digital healthcare marketing agency based in Philadelphia, are launching a first-of-its-kind tracking study within a mobile application dedicated to helping people with diabetes manage their condition. Ultimately, the study will help determine the role mobile technology can play in providing self-management tools to people who live with diabetes and other chronic conditions.
The study leverages Vital Insights™, a proprietary in-app survey tool, which enables real-time insights into user behavior and habits within the mobile environment. Questions will be embedded within dLife’s iPhone application, dLife Diabetes Companion, which provides access to blood glucose tracking tools, nutritional information and recipes, educational videos, and more.
“Vital mHealth’s tool has never been deployed in the diabetes space before,” says Howard Steinberg, dLife’s Founder. “We are looking forward to garnering some unique insights into how mobile technology is impacting the practical day-to-day management of the diabetes consumer and the ultimate role mobile medical management can play.”
Since being offered at no cost earlier this year, the Diabetes Companion has become one of the most popular applications used by people with diabetes. Its active, engaged user base provides an unprecedented opportunity to understand how the use of mobile tools can positively affect health outcomes in real time, real life.
Users will be asked questions during actual app use about how they interact with mobile technology, information-sharing habits, and, ultimately, if and how mobile technology impacts their ability to self-manage, communicate with their healthcare provider, and lower A1C levels. The study will be conducted in three separate waves and updated with new questions every six months. As an ongoing tracking study, it will build benchmarks for the impact of mobile tools in diabetes. Read more
