Effectiveness of Using Educational Modules Via Bedside Tablet in Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes

Type I diabetes is one of the most common diseases of childhood and its incidence has been increasing worldwide. By age 18, 1 in 300 children will be affected by Type 1 Diabetes1. Not only are children diagnosed with diabetes met with significant morbidity due to their disease, but they are also expected to be active participants in daily often complicated treatment regimens. As children with Type 1 diabetes grow older and eventually spend time away from their parents or caregivers, they are forced to manage their own care. Over the last several years, health systems in the United States have become more patient-centered and have focused on autonomy and patient preference. With the advent of technology that makes self-directed education possible, this patient-centered approach needs to be applied to children diagnosed with Type I diabetes.

When clinicians are at the center of educating patients with diabetes, they often communicate more directly with parents, who then use the information they receive to manage their child's care. This model, however, does not account for the fact that children with diabetes will one day need to manage their own care and that patients who are active participants and who understand their disease process will be more likely to cooperate with treatment regimens and lifestyle interventions. It is often difficult for any patient, child or adult, to process educational information provided verbally in a physician's office, especially immediately after they have been diagnosed with a life-long disease. Educational tools therefore need to focus on incorporating methods that best serve the patients being educated.

Since individuals learn in different ways and at different paces, interactive educational tools can help patients and their families learn in a way that can be individualized and private and can also be fun and creative. As our patients are growing up surrounded by technology, the use of this technology for education might provide a sense of normalcy to children and teenagers already overwhelmed by processes that are often difficult for them to identify with or understand. We hope that patients and families who are given the opportunity to learn independently will become better equipped to manage self-care and will develop a sense of involvement in their treatment. Interactive tools will also help patients and families become more actively engaged in understanding their disease process and can help them to become more active participants in their care.