My Diabetes
Diabetes information and services in Europe
MyDiabetes started as a Pilot Research Project under the initial auspices of the Chrodis Project, an EU funded health initiative.
Background
Accessible, easy to understand and accurate health literacy is and will be the most valuable tool to empower patients, care givers and their families as well as to provide core information for healthcare professionals.
Health literate information increases the potential for providing information on health conditions and medical needs to patients, caregivers and their families.
Patients when asked, say they have most trust in information they received from their healthcare provider(s). Their preference is increased when the information relates to specific aspects of their health condition(s).
Healthcare professionals can use health literacy information to help educate and manage their patients’ health and to reduce or even avoid potentially adverse outcomes.
MyDiabetes was the initial step to examine and provide the needs for a model that could be used with test users to gain access to their experiences and so gain feedback that would help develop ideas in regard to:
How patients and their families want and need information that:
Improves understanding and can provide useful recall for all regarding all their factors that help them manage their personal health.
Increases their ability to access information of specific need to their health.
Provide recall information for clarification by patients and carers.
From the health professionals perspective:
Can provide medical professionals with a flexible resource base to meet their patients ongoing and developing needs for managing their personal health.
We believe that better informed patients and their care environment are healthier patients that can effectively be easier so more cost effective to maintain.
Information can act as a reminder—e.g.:
- medication compliance
- support information retention given at consultations.
Our concept for development is to provide models, based on major diseases, by building appropriate, easily adjusted information sets to meet individual patient needs so adding immediate value to the process.
In regard to information content, registered medical professionals will be to use the online health and medical resources either by using these directly or editing these for specific patient requirements.
Pilot Research Project
MyDiabetes started as a Pilot Research Project which aims to examine the need for the provision of accessible, easy-to-understand and accurate health information on medical conditions. Diabetes has been selected as the case study for the Pilot Research Project in line with the JA-CHRODIS objectives.
Diabetes is the fourth most common cause of death in Europe, affecting 32 million EU adults in 2013. Diabetes information is used in this pilot to assess the need and possible benefits from appropriate health literate information that is designed from the beginning to potentially meet the many and varying needs of individual health consumers to support the work of the many health professionals who are directly involved in helping patients improve their health opportunities or to better manage their health outcomes.
Throughout 2016, the MyDiabetes Pilot Research Project has conducted an extensive review of the available information on diabetes.
The research also examined current methods used and tools available to various healthcare professionals and other stakeholders who interact with patients to prevent, manage and control their diabetes. The Project has identified existing challenges, gaps and opportunities for improvement with regard to health information.
The MyDiabetes Pilot Research Project has developed a core pilot information strategy for implementation that aims to provide accessible, easy to read, while supporting healthcare professionals and patients’ informational needs. The approach is designed to help increase health literacy
Basic health literacy information has been compiled from the existing knowledge base and written in accessible language.
The Pilot serves as a needs assessment to determine if there is a demand for this tool with trusted information.
Survey Feedback
A prototype of the MyDiabetes website was sert up and made available online in English. A survey was then created on Survey Monkey. The prototype was reviewed by two groups of experts
1) participants from the JA-CHRODIS project and
2) A sample of healthcare professionals in the EU.
The experts were asked to assess the need for this type of tool and information. They rated the prototype, including the existing topics and information. They evaluated the prototype to identify gaps and make suggestions for improvements. User feedback is believed to be vital in order to determine and to meet the health information needs of patients, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders.
The site underwent testing by representatives from the health professions who deal directly with patients and require to give them information and guidance in avoiding, managing and living with chronic diseases.
It was also used by patients to help identify the complete range of information and assistance that they require to deal with all aspects of a chronic disease and how they and their families can best benefit from such resources.
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Health Survey
The Health survey mentioned here is now closed.
If you are a medical professional and would like more information on this topic and the above current development then please contact:
info@eurohealth.ie
and put
Health Survey – My Diabetes into your email heading.-
This activity arises from the Joint Action CHRODIS, which has received funding from the European Union, in the framework of the Health Programme (2008-2013)