Iterative development of a web-based intervention for families of young children with type 1 diabetes: DIPPer Academy.

OBJECTIVE

A new diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) can be stressful for families as they are expected to learn a large amount of information regarding disease management and treatment in a short period of time. Currently, parents complete diabetes education at the time of diagnosis. However, this format may not be sustainable as rates of T1D climb. The current study aimed to develop an online platform to provide educational material in the form of video micro-lectures using an iterative, user-centered, design process.

METHODS

In the first stage of development, parents of young children with T1D identified information they felt most important to their child's T1D care. In the second stage, healthcare providers contributed qualitative and quantitative feedback regarding the educational material and video mock-ups. The third stage involved parents of young children with T1D providing feedback on the completed video micro-lectures.

RESULTS

Providers and parents reported that the videos were highly useful, important to T1D care, and the majority would recommend them to other parents.

CONCLUSIONS

The iterative design process used by the research team incorporated multiple perspectives and ultimately developed educational resources that were well-received by providers, researchers, and parents.

IMPLICATIONS FOR IMPACT STATEMENT

This study used an iterative, user-centered design to develop a series of web-based videos for parents of young children with type 1 diabetes. Primary stakeholders, both healthcare providers and parents, described videos as highly important, useful, enjoyable, and would recommend these resources to others. Parents rated videos highly across a variety of presentations that ranged in development time and cost, indicating that researchers can feasibly and cost-effectively create web-based resources for parents.