Gluco Coach—A Self-Management Application for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: User testing to understand comfort levels and sustained patient engagement

Abstract

The increase in the number of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is a global concern. Using information and communications technologies, particularly mobile applications, to empower patients with remote self-management has shown promising results. However, there is still a lack of evidence regarding an app content’s contribution to making sustained impacts on the users’ lifestyle behaviors and hence health. To make a positive health change through such a self-management app, the users are expected to be engaged in using the app. This engagement has to be sustained for a long period of time to reflect on both lifestyle behavioral and health changes. In our project, we developed Gluco Coach, a type 2 diabetes mellitus self-management app focusing on supporting type 2 diabetes mellitus patients to achieve and sustain healthy lifestyle behaviors. This paper presents work on understanding type 2 diabetes mellitus patients’ comfort levels and interest in using Gluco Coach. User testing were conducted, and the findings showed potential in Gluco Coach and resulted in a list of lessons learned concerning design that aims to provide high usability and functionality, positive user experience, and thus sustained patient engagement.