Obstacles of utilizing a self-management app for taiwanese type II diabetes patients

Abstract

The Intergenerational Mobile Technology Opportunities Program (IMTOP) tested the impact of a custom-built diabetes self-management application (IMTOP app) and an eight-week education program on 237 older adults with type II diabetes in Taiwan. This study examined 73 of the participants in depth, investigating their personal motivating factors and barriers among those who used the IMTOP app in high/low types. Meanwhile the study took into consideration their health behaviors in chronic disease self-management in diabetes. Focus groups were conducted separately with two groups of high and low users from both urban and rural locations. Total 8 focus groups’ transcripts were used to identify themes in their responses using Dedoose software. Among the major themes: health beliefs, self-efficiency in managing health behaviors as well as commitment to recording daily health measures in IMTOP app were reviewed. Four adaptation stages of chronic disease self-management are established. The influence of supportive or obstructive environmental factors, and general ability of technology emerge as the most critical elements influencing utilization and adoption of IMTOP app for older adults. The results indicate that the high users of IMTOP app are 50% more in a controlling stage of disease adaptation, while low users have less 40% likely to be in the exploring stage. Future research is suggested to apply Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to explain the factors impacting app utilization in older adults.