Digital technology and its effects on knowledge improvement for diabetes management: An integrative review

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of educational digital technology in improving patients' and health professionals' knowledge about diabetes management.Background: The use of digital technologies has been expanding in recent years in several areas of healthcare and education.Design: Integrative literature review.

Digital enabled learning for people with diabetes post COVID‐19 pandemic

“…Access may be difficult, especially in developing countries, 1,2,16 although it is known that 90% of the world's population own a mobile phone and over a third of these use third‐party apps 29 . Low income populations and those in resource‐poor settings are among the fastest growing users of mobile phones 29 .…”

“…15 Digitally-enabled education has been reported to produce several beneficial outcomes for PWD. 11,[16][17][18][19][20][21] Benefits include improvements in HbA1c, weight, symptom burden, knowledge, self-efficacy, diet, physical activity, quality of life, patient satisfaction, social support, self-care, behaviour change, and empowerment.…”

“…17 It has also been noted that some PWD needed to use multiple devices to access the appropriate resources which was perceived as a problem. 17 Access may be difficult, especially in developing countries, 1,2,16 although it is known that 90% of the world's population own a mobile phone and over a third of these use third-party apps. 29 Low income populations and those in resource-poor settings are among the fastest growing users of mobile phones.…”

“…Digital learning is also pertinent for HCPs who are required to learn about new treatments for PWD, update their own knowledge and develop their life-long learning for professional regulation. 16 The place of MOOCs provides such an opportunity for HCPs. People can learn at a time that suits them, in their own home and not taking time away from clinical practice.…”

New opportunities to improve diabetes healthcare

“…Meeting the needs of fast rising patient numbers is straining chronically stretched public health services internationally. However, in some cases, digital technologies such as videoconferencing are now assisting health‐care staff to provide diabetes‐related care and manage caseloads, as demonstrated for diabetes prevention and self‐management education in this journal issue (Moreira et al, 2021). Technology has also improved access to diabetes‐related healthcare for many, such as patients residing in rural and remote geographical areas, and pregnant women, and can support engagement as well as flexible access to healthcare.…”