Impact of gamification on glycaemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Serious digital games for diabetes Mellitus: A scoping review of its current State, Accessibility, and functionality for patients and healthcare providers

The global rise in diabetes prevalence poses a significant challenge to healthcare providers, stimulating interest in digital interventions such as educational games. However, the impact and availability of research-developed diabetes games remain uncertain. This scoping review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of serious games for diabetes, encompassing their availability, characteristics and health effects. Through an electronic search in multiple databases, a total of 21 articles addressing 23 games were included in the literature review. The majority of these games were inaccessible outside of research settings, despite demonstrating positive effects on various aspects of diabetes management, including knowledge, physical activity, self-management, mental well-being, and HbA1c levels. Most games were designed for mobile phones, targeting both children and adults. A subsequent app store search revealed 13 additional diabetes games, however nearly none (7.7%) of these underwent research scrutiny, leaving their expected effects uncertain. The disparity between evidence-based games and those available in app stores underscores the need for bridging this gap to ensure the availability of effective digital games for diabetes management worldwide.

Designing and Developing a Mobile App for Management and Treatment of Gestational Diabetes in Nepal: User-Centered Design Study

BACKGROUND

Mobile apps can aid with the management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) by providing patient education, reinforcing regular blood glucose monitoring and diet/lifestyle modification, and facilitating clinical and social support.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to describe our process of designing and developing a culturally tailored app, Garbhakalin Diabetes athawa Madhumeha-Dhulikhel Hospital (GDM-DH), to support GDM management among Nepalese patients by applying a user-centered design approach.

METHODS

A multidisciplinary team of experts, as well as health care providers and patients in Dhulikhel Hospital (Dhulikhel, Nepal), contributed to the development of the GDM-DH app. After finalizing the app's content and features, we created the app's wireframe, which illustrated the app's proposed interface, navigation sequences, and features and function. Feedback was solicited on the wireframe via key informant interviews with health care providers (n=5) and a focus group and in-depth interviews with patients with GDM (n=12). Incorporating their input, we built a minimum viable product, which was then user-tested with 18 patients with GDM and further refined to obtain the final version of the GDM-DH app.

RESULTS

Participants in the focus group and interviews unanimously concurred on the utility and relevance of the proposed mobile app for patients with GDM, offering additional insight into essential modifications and additions to the app's features and content (eg, inclusion of example meal plans and exercise videos).The mean age of patients in the usability testing (n=18) was 28.8 (SD 3.3) years, with a mean gestational age of 27.2 (SD 3.0) weeks. The mean usability score across the 10 tasks was 3.50 (SD 0.55; maximum score=5 for "very easy"); task completion rates ranged from 55.6% (n=10) to 94.4% (n=17). Findings from the usability testing were reviewed to further optimize the GDM-DH app (eg, improving data visualization). Consistent with social cognitive theory, the final version of the GDM-DH app supports GDM self-management by providing health education and allowing patients to record and self-monitor blood glucose, blood pressure, carbohydrate intake, physical activity, and gestational weight gain. The app uses innovative features to minimize the self-monitoring burden, as well as automatic feedback and data visualization. The app also includes a social network "follow" feature to add friends and family and give them permission to view logged data and a progress summary. Health care providers can use the web-based admin portal of the GDM-DH app to enter/review glucose levels and other clinical measures, track patient progress, and guide treatment and counseling accordingly.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first mobile health platform for GDM developed for a low-income country and the first one containing a social support feature. A pilot clinical trial is currently underway to explore the clinical utility of the GDM-DH app.

Impact of Gaming (Gamification) on Diabetes Self-Care Behaviors and Glycemic Outcomes Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

PURPOSE

The purpose of this systematic review was to determine if the use of gaming (gamification) among persons with type 2 diabetes improves diabetes self-management behaviors and diabetes outcomes.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted using electronic databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL. Studies reporting on the impact of gaming on at least 1 of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists self-care behaviors (ADCES7) were included.

RESULTS

The review included 9 studies, 8 of which were of strong/high quality. Five of the self-care behaviors were addressed in at least 1 of the included studies. However, taking medications and problem solving were not reported in any of the studies. Physical activity and self-efficacy or quality of life (healthy coping) were the most frequently reported ADCES7 behaviors. Six of the studies used A1C as an outcome measure, with a reduction reported in all the studies except 1.

CONCLUSION

Type 2 diabetes affects a person holistically, necessitating a range of self-care behaviors to effectively manage the chronic condition. Novel gaming interventions may improve coping mechanisms, lifestyle behaviors, medication engagement, and monitoring of risks and problems, all of which are essential in facilitating optimal diabetes self-management.