Quick addendum to my last post on designing useful type 1 diabetes education mobile apps.
Issued today was the Diabetes UK “State of the Nation 2012″ report which offers as one of the solutions to the problem of helping people with diabetes as:
Effective education for all people with diabetes, so ensuring they can effectively manage their condition.
One of the issues my study is aiming to address…
Recently, I’ve been working on a submission to this year’s Mlearn 2012 conference based on my current PhD work and am hoping to submit the 8 page paper next week. Here’s a look at the abstract:
TITLE – Designing useful type 1 diabetes education mobile apps
ABSTRACT
Aim
To explore what young people aged between 18 and 21 with type 1 diabetes feel about their use of mobile and web-based technology and whether it might enable them to engage in an improved way with the NHS and their own health to enhance health-related quality of life.
Approach
Identifying from views and experiences of young people with type 1 diabetes how they currently make use of web and mobile technology in their day-to-day lives and in relation to their condition and treatment. To build a small number of prototype mobile phone applications based on ideas collected from qualitative data collection.
Contribution
(1) Published research considering the views of young people with type 1 diabetes in their use of technology to support their condition is sparse. There is little to analyse considering how they currently use web and mobile technology and its impact on quality of life.
(2) Research related to the design and use of health-related diabetes Apps is sparse, but a review of features of mobile diabetes applications found a critical feature recommended by clinical guidelines – personalised education – was not included in any application – an area this study is interested in.
(3) Research and policy concerning the integration of health information and support with technology do not effectively consider the viewpoint of the patient. This is vitally important as young people today have a radically different view of technology as it enables them to communicate and access online information and advice twenty-four hours a day.
Author Keywords
Patient Education, Type 1 Diabetes, Alcohol, Hypoglycaemia, Illness, Twitter, Mobile, Apps
I will also be blogging more about how the project is progressing in the next few weeks so watch this space…
Just over three years into my part-time PhD and I’m now clear of the twin hurdles of NHS ethics and research governance (hurrah!) and about to start recruiting. As some readers may be interested in the articles which I’ve published/submitted in the areas around my research since my study began, here’s an up-to-date list with links to the freely available ones included……..
***SUBMITTED (2011)***
A Patient-Centric Approach to using new technology for diabetes education in young adults
[Submitted to the Diabetes Educator in December 2011 with co-authors Dr Mike Masding, Associate Professor Jacqui Taylor and Professor Kate Galvin]
Munchausen by Internet (MBI): Current research and future directions
[Submitted to J Med Internet Res in November 2011 with second author Dr Jacqui Taylor]
Concussion Information on the Move: The Role of Mobile Technology in Concussion Management
[Submitted to Journal of Community Informatics in August 2011 with first author Osman H. Ahmed - Centre for Physiotherapy Research, School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand]
***PUBLISHED***
Integrating Web 2.0 with Mental Health Care
Published in Connect Newsletter (Mental Health Informatics Special Interest Group (MHSIG) of the Royal College of Psychiatrist), Autumn 2010 Issue. Page 17 – 19.
[November 2010]
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/ConnectAutumn2010.pdf
Mobile Technology as a mechanism for delivering improved Quality of Life
Published in The Journal of the Research Center for Educational Technology, Volume 6 Issue 1. Page 111-121.
[April 2010]
http://www.rcetj.org/index.php/rcetj/article/view/51
A patient centred framework for improving LTC Quality of Life through Web 2.0 Technology
Published in The Health Informatics Journal, Volume 16 Issue 1. Page 15-23.
[April 2010]
http://jhi.sagepub.com/content/16/1/15.short
Twitter as a tool for delivering improved Quality of Life for people with chronic conditions
Published in Journal of Nursing and Healthcare of Chronic Illness, Volume 1 Issue 3. Page 245-252.
[September 2009]
http://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/10830/
Rioters’ use of social media throws telecoms firms into spotlight
BBC News – English riots: Social media were ‘force for good’
Tory MP Louise Mensch backs social network blackouts during civil unrest
London riots: police could get powers over social media
Twitter blocking: the technical and legal issues
If we’re turning off social media, I want news channels turned off too
Six social media ‘celebrities’ emerge from the riots
The Truth About MPs on Twitter
MPs fail to get onboard with social media
Former British Telecom CTO: U.K. Plans to Control Social Media ‘All Bluff’
More Android Apps have just been released from the Social Media Friend stable.
Social Media Friend Twitter Guide
The Social Media Friend Twitter Guide runs on Android 2.2 and helps you understand how to use it, show you the differences between Tweets, Retweets and Direct Messages and introduces you to the mystic art of URL shortening:
Buy From Amazon | App Information
Social Media Friend Dark Internet Guide
This Social Media Friend Dark Side of the Internet Guide runs on Android 2.2 and includes information on Cyberbullying, helpful ways to maintain your Online Security, how to cope with Trolls and Flamers and how to spot and avoid Spoofers, Hackers, Phishers and Viruses:
Buy From Amazon | App Information
Both apps also provide immediate access to the latest Social Media news via the Social Media Friend Twitter feed.
More apps have been released from the Social Media friend stable! At the bargain price of 69p each, they’re cheaper than buying the whole Social Media Friend App (which is still on sale at £1.49p) and focus on a particular social media area.
Social Media Friend Wikipedia Guide
The first Social Media Friend Guide focuses on the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia. It will help you to understand how to use it properly, how to contribute to it and how not to contribute to it (discussing vandalism and bias). You can also find out why NPOV is such an important word and why you shouldn’t always believe everything that you read on it. The app also provides you with immediate access to the latest Social Media news (including interesting Wikipedia information) via the Social Media Friend Twitter feed.
Social Media Friend Twitter Guide
The second Social Media Friend Guide focuses on the popular microblogging site Twitter. This guide will help you understand how to use it, show you the differences between Tweets, Retweets and Direct Messages and introduce you to the mystic art of URL shortening. You can also learn some polite Twitter etiquette and for businesses how you can utilise it more effectively. The app also provides you with immediate access to the latest Social Media news (including interesting Twitter information) via the Social Media Friend Twitter feed.
Both of these topics are still included in the original Social Media Friend App so if you want to have both and lots more content for only a penny more then you still have that option available to you (!).
There will be more guides being released later in the year the next one will be focusing on the Dark Side of The Internet – phishers, trolls and cyberbullies and options for dealing with them…..
The Social Media Friend has arrived for Android. For this version I’ve been using the Eclipse IDE for Mac and Phonegap. At present this version is available to buy From Amazon. A newer version for Android incorporating the jQuery Mobile update to the look and feel is currently in the works and should be available soon.
Social Media Friend is a quick and easy guide with informative information on a range of social media topics, including tips on how you can get the best out of using social media. Think of it as your friendly guide to helping you get the most out of this new interactive world.
Topics include:
1. An introduction to the world of Web 2.0
2. Handy tips on how to best use Twitter
3. A Social Media Glossary that provides you with the key terms in easy-to-understand language.
Version 1.5.1 of the Social Media Friend is now available to buy from the iTunes store.
It is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad (requiring iOS 3.0 or later).
New for May:
- A fresh, improved look and feel.
- Health related Social Media Phenomena are examined: Cyberchondria, Divided Attention Disorder and Munchausen by Internet.
- Immediate access to the latest Social Media information via the Social Media Friend Twitter feed.
My first app has now been released !
The Social Media Friend has been created with the aim of helping everybody (whether young or old) to understand and navigate the world of Social Media and get to grips with the tools of Web 2.0.
In the initial version – which debuted on the iTunes Store on 24th March – the topics covered are:
I’m going to be adding a lot more sections to the app as the year progresses too. A version of the Social Media Friend for Android is also in the works and it’s currently awaiting approval before arriving on the Amazon App Store for Android in the near future so watch this space or visit the website:
More Information about the Social Media Friend App
Purchase Social Media Friend App (iTunes)
The app has been written using Phonegap which is a really great bit of software allowing you to write simple code for a range of mobile devices without having to know the in’s and out’s of Objective C or Java 
!!!
I’m also maintaining a Twitter account for the App which aims to distil the most relevant and interesting stories on the world of Social Media and this will hopefully be integrated into a later release (!):
Social Media Friend Twitter Feed
There’s also a Facebook page allowing you to express your love for it:
Press Release and News Story from Bournemouth University on my Journal of Nursing and Healthcare of Chronic Illness article “Twitter as a tool for delivering improved quality of life for people with chronic conditions”…..
Article doi: 10.1111/j.1752-9824.2009.01027.x
