Navigating Diabetes Online Communities in Clinical Practice.

OBJECTIVE: This purpose of this study was to conduct a rapid review and environmental scan of diabetes online communities (DOCs) to highlight the clinical impact of DOC engagement and provide guidance to health care providers for navigating and prescribing DOCs. METHODS: This two-phase review included a rapid review of clinical outcomes and an assessment of DOC content. We conducted a literature search for studies evaluating DOC use and glucometric (glycated hemoglobin [A1C], time-in-range, hypoglycemia), behavioral, and psychosocial outcomes. The environmental scan of current DOC sites established key features, including available platforms, target population, content areas, and reach. RESULTS: Twelve papers were included-eight reported DOC use within a context of do-it-yourself (DIY) noncommercial, opensource hybrid closed loop systems community and four were non-DYI related. In latter, all studies were cross-sectional, describing patient-reported outcomes. Two studies reported A1C lowering with DOC use, two DOC use was associated with high self-efficacy, one showed association with higher self-care levels, and one showed higher quality of life scores when compared with population norms. All DIY studies showed improvement in glucometrics after initiation of sensor augmented pump technology with DOC support. Of 54 DOC sites reviewed in the environmental scan, 29 were included. Diabetes online community sites were heterogenous in social media platform and type of diabetes targeted. CONCLUSION: Diabetes online communities have the potential to improve clinical, behavioral, and psychosocial outcomes. Randomized control trials and/or longitudinal prospective studies evaluating outcomes are needed to further examine the potential benefits of DOC use. Diabetes online communities are diverse and span a variety of social media platforms, providing clinicians opportunities to individualize recommendations for DOC use.

App-Based Insulin Calculators: Current and Future State.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To perform a comprehensive literature review and critical assessment of peer-reviewed manuscripts addressing the efficacy, safety, or usability of insulin calculator apps. RECENT FINDINGS: Managing diabetes with insulin can be complex, and literacy and numeracy skills pose barriers to manual insulin dose calculations. App-based insulin calculators are promising tools to help people with diabetes administer insulin safely and have potential to improve glycemic control. While a large number of apps which assist with insulin dosing are available, there is limited data evaluating their efficacy, safety, and usability. Recently, a need for regulatory oversight has been recognized, but few apps meet federal standards. Thus, choosing an appropriate app is challenging for both patients and providers. An electronic literature review was performed to identify insulin calculator apps with either evidence for efficacy, safety or usability published in peer-reviewed literature or with FDA/CE approval. Twenty apps were identified intended for use by patients with diabetes on insulin. Of these, nine included insulin calculators. Summaries of each app, including pros and cons, are provided. Insulin-calculator apps have the potential to improve self-management of diabetes. While current literature demonstrates improvements in quality of life and glycemic control after use of these programs, larger trials are needed to collect outcome and safety data. Also, further human factor analysis is needed to assure these apps will be adopted appropriately by people with diabetes. App features including efficacy and safety data need to be easily available for consumer review and decision making. Higher standards need to be set for app developers to ensure safety and efficacy.