Diabetes clinics for 'digital natives'

I've been meaning to do this for a while but haven't got to grips with the references I've picked up over the last year or so concerning the use of technology in the care of people with diabetes - especially young adults. Key technologies are mobile phone text messaging, websites (with secure messaging to health care staff, and educational / social interaction) and automated data capture (continuous glucose monitoring, physical activity etc.).

However, the important thing is that it is not all about the technology and the medication! To address the needs of young adults means providing a flexible, individualised, high quality service. The 1940s style NHS clinic just doesn't work with this group - but neither will a "pharmaco-technological paradigm" [1].

So, to focus the mind I've posted some selected references and wondered if anyone knew other papers that were similar. Will then go back to the literature and do a systematic search and try and write up a review. Anyone keen to help?


1. Skinner TC, Cameron FJ. Improving glycaemic control in children and adolescents: which aspects of therapy really matter?. Diabet. Med. 2010 Apr;27(4):369–375. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20536506

2. Mulvaney SA, Anders S, Smith AK, Pittel EJ, Johnson KB. A Pilot Test of a Tailored Mobile and Web-Based Diabetes Messaging System for Adolescents. J Telemed Telecare 2012 Jan;18(2):115–118. Available from: http://jtt.rsmjournals.com/content/18/2/115

3. Franklin VL, Waller A, Pagliari C, Greene SA. A randomized controlled trial of Sweet Talk, a text-messaging system to support young people with diabetes. Diabet. Med. 2006 Dec;23(12):1332–1338. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17116184

4. Iafusco D, Galderisi A, Nocerino I, Cocca A, Zuccotti G, Prisco F, Scaramuzza A. Chat line for adolescents with type 1 diabetes: a useful tool to improve coping with diabetes: a 2-year follow-up study. Diabetes Technol. Ther 2011 May;13(5):551–555. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21406010

5. Battelino T, Phillip M, Bratina N, Nimri R, Oskarsson P, Bolinder J. Effect of continuous glucose monitoring on hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2011 Apr;34(4):795–800. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21335621

6. Gandhi GY, Kovalaske M, Kudva Y, Walsh K, Elamin MB, Beers M, Coyle C, Goalen M, Murad MS, Erwin PJ, Corpus J, Montori VM, Murad MH. Efficacy of continuous glucose monitoring in improving glycemic control and reducing hypoglycemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. J Diabetes Sci Technol 2011 Jul;5(4):952–965. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21880239

7. Castelli DM, Goss D, Scherer J, Chapman-Novakofski K. Healthy outcomes for teens project: diabetes prevention through distributed interactive learning. Diabetes Technol. Ther 2011 Mar;13(3):359–364. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21299392

8. O’Connor PJ, Sperl-Hillen JM, Rush WA, Johnson PE, Amundson GH, Asche SE, Ekstrom HL, Gilmer TP. Impact of electronic health record clinical decision support on diabetes care: a randomized trial. Ann Fam Med 2011 Feb;9(1):12–21. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21242556

9. Schiel R, Thomas A, Kaps A, Bieber G. An innovative telemedical support system to measure physical activity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Exp. Clin. Endocrinol. Diabetes 2011 Oct;119(9):565–568. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21472657


10. Franklin VL, Greene A, Waller A, Greene SA, Pagliari C. Patients’ engagement with ‘Sweet Talk’ - a text messaging support system for young people with diabetes. J. Med. Internet Res. 2008;10(2):e20. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18653444

11. Burke LE, Conroy MB, Sereika SM, Elci OU, Styn MA, Acharya SD, Sevick MA, Ewing LJ, Glanz K. The effect of electronic self-monitoring on weight loss and dietary intake: a randomized behavioral weight loss trial. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2011 Feb;19(2):338–344. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20847736

12. Bujnowska-Fedak MM, Puchała E, Steciwko A. The impact of telehome care on health status and quality of life among patients with diabetes in a primary care setting in Poland. Telemed J E Health 2011 Apr;17(3):153–163. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21375410

13. Maclean CD, Gagnon M, Callas P, Littenberg B. The Vermont diabetes information system: a cluster randomized trial of a population based decision support system. J Gen Intern Med 2009 Dec;24(12):1303–1310. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19862578

14. Ekberg J, Ericson L, Timpka T, Eriksson H, Nordfeldt S, Hanberger L, Ludvigsson J. Web 2.0 systems supporting childhood chronic disease management: design guidelines based on information behaviour and social learning theories. J Med Syst 2010 Apr;34(2):107–117. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20433049