Adults' Experiences and Perceptions of Electronic Devices for Diabetes Self-Management: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.
Vanesa Alcántara-Porcuna, Beatriz Rodríguez-Martin, Daniela Avello
PMID 42082279WHAT IT FOUND
Adults with type 1 diabetes described glucose monitors, pumps and apps as helping them feel more in control and making daily life less intrusive, but technical failures, alarms and limited support reduced trust and added burden.
Key findings
01In 25 of the 27 included studies, participants described digital devices as increasing empowerment, autonomy and personal control in self-management.
02In 23 of the 27 included studies, technical and usability problems were described as leading to frustration and mistrust in continued device use.
03Participants described digital tools as more useful when professionals were engaged and responsive; when they felt poorly understood or insufficiently supported, they described less trust in clinicians and the tools.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The search was limited to English or Spanish articles, so experiences reported in other languages were not included. Most included studies were from high-income countries, especially the United States and the United Kingdom, so findings may not fit other health systems. The review did not include hospitalized adults, pregnant adults, adults over 65, or people whose main focus was disability-related assistive technology. Several included studies did not report researcher reflexivity, and some gave insufficient detail about data analysis. Confidence was low for the finding about economic and accessibility barriers because few studies addressed that issue directly.
Declared interests
The authors report no funding and no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this synthesis as proof that diabetes devices improve glycemic control or reduce burden. It reports what adults said about their experiences, and the review did not test whether the devices work.