Widespread ignorance exists among the general public about the basics of diabetes—and that gap applies to those with the disease as well. But a new survey indicates technology that already exists could narrow that gap.
The research was conducted among more than 2,500 participants by Telcare, a digital health provider that claims a recently FDA-approved cellular blood glucometer among its products.
The top-line findings regarding knowledge of the disease suggest that somebody needs to find a way to educate more people about this disease that carries an annual price tag of a quarter of a trillion dollars. For instance:
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57 percent of the U.S. population isn't aware that diabetes can cause other major health issues, including heart disease;
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63 percent don't know the difference between Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, or that Type 2 is preventable and curable;
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64 percent of respondents who know someone living with diabetes are unaware that diabetes can lead to other health complications such as kidney failure, lower limb amputations and blindness.
But the survey demonstrated that a majority of those living with diabetes would use technology to monitor their condition and help them combat the disease. And especially in the case of people ages 18 to 34, technology will be key to helping them manage their disease.
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More than three-quarters of them want to use technology to track family fitness and health.
Among the survey findings:
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People living with diabetes are two times more likely to connect with doctors because of health apps;
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85 percent of people living with diabetes trust technology;
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76 percent of caretakers of diabetes patients trust technology;
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88 percent of people want access to real-time data when managing their chronic diseases;
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55 percent of millennials living with diabetes would trust a health app over a health professional alone for advice;
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55 percent of millennials living with diabetes connect with their doctors more frequently because of health apps.
"Diabetes will be greatly impacted by the rise of mobile medical apps, but significant education around the facts of the disease and how technology can help manage it is the first step towards progress," said Telcare CEO Andy Flanagan. "What is needed is a different approach to disease management, one that creates meaningful data that medical professionals can use to help provide the level of personalized care consumers demand."
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Dan Cook
Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.
