Engagement with Sweet Talk: A Text Messaging System for Young Diabetics
Author Information
Author(s): Gunther Eysenbach, Deede Gammon, Elizabeth Franklin, Alexandra Greene, Annalu Waller, Stephen Alan Greene, Claudia Pagliari
Primary Institution: University of Edinburgh
Hypothesis
How do patients with type 1 diabetes interact with the Sweet Talk system?
Conclusion
The Sweet Talk system effectively engaged young people with diabetes, allowing them to communicate with care providers and share experiences.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients submitted 1180 messages during the study, averaging 18.4 messages each.
- Girls sent significantly more social messages unrelated to diabetes than boys.
- The system allowed for unprompted submission of blood glucose values, which was the most common message type.
Takeaway
Young people with diabetes used a text messaging system to get support and share their health information, which helped them feel more connected.
Methodology
The study analyzed text messages sent to the Sweet Talk system over 12 months from 64 young participants in a randomized controlled trial.
Limitations
Results may not be generalizable due to a small number of high users contributing most messages.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 8-18 years with type 1 diabetes, including both boys and girls.
Statistical Information
P-Value
.002
Statistical Significance
p = .002
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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