Participant experiences in a smartphone-based health coaching intervention for type 2 diabetes: A qualitative inquiry. (April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pludwinski, Sarah; Ahmad, Farah; Wayne, Noah; Ritvo, Paul
• Is Part Of: Journal of telemedicine and telecare. Volume 22:Number 3(2016)
• Page Start: 172
• Page End: 178
• Publication Date: 2016-04
• Subjects: Smartphone intervention -- lifestyle modification -- mobile health -- type 2 diabetes -- qualitative research -- health coaching -- ehealth; Telecommunication in medicine -- Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1177/1357633X15595178
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1357-633X

Abstract

Introduction: We investigated the experience of individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who participated in an intervention in which the key elements were the provision of a smartphone and self-monitoring software. The interviews focused on use of a smartphone and the effects on motivation for health behavior change. Methods: This was a qualitative evaluation of participants in a larger T2DM self-management randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted at the Black Creek Community Health Centre (BCCHC) in Toronto, Canada (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02036892). The study is based on semi-structured interviews ( n = 11) that were audio taped and analyzed with a thematic analytic approach. The RCT compared the effectiveness of six months of smartphone-based self-monitoring and health coaching with a control group who received health coaching without internet or smartphone-based assistance. Results: Qualitative data analyses resulted in derivation of four major themes that describe participant experience: (a) 'smartphone and software', describes smartphone use in relation to health behavior change; (b) 'health coach' describes how client/health coach relationships were assisted by smartphone use; (c) 'overall experience' describes perceptions of the overall intervention; and (d) 'frustrations in managing chronic conditions' describes difficulties with the complexities of T2DM management from a patient perspective. Discussion: Findings suggest that interventions with T2DM assisted by smartphone software and health coaches actively engage individuals in improved hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) control.