Adolescents with type 1 diabetes’ perspectives on digital health interventions to enhance health literacy: a qualitative study

IntroductionDigital health intervention offers the potential to enhance health literacy, which is crucial for effective diabetes management, especially among adolescents. Diabetes is a major global public health issue, leading to devastating complications and increasing mortality rates. The incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is also on the rise, particularly among adolescents, necessitating multisectoral strategies to combat this disease. This study explores the perceptions of adolescents with T1DM in Germany regarding digital health interventions, with the aim of improving healthcare by addressing specific needs and guiding future research.MethodologyThis study employed a qualitative approach using semi-structured individual interviews with adolescents with T1DM (n = 20) aged 14 to 18 years old in Germany to explore their perspectives on digital interventions for health literacy promotion. The study adopted content analysis according to Kuckartz et al. and the research followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist. Ethical considerations were paramount and data were rigorously analyzed using coding and iterative processes to ensure data quality and reliability.ResultsThe findings indicate that within three prominent domains, namely the utilization of digital health intervention for accessing and comprehending information, facilitating peer-to-peer interactions, and enhancing physician-patient communication and interaction, digital health interventions are either underutilized or insufficiently deployed. In addition, a notable observation is the apparent lack of patient-centered approaches for adolescents with T1DM in relation to digital health interventions and health literacy.ConclusionIn order to enhance the utilization of digital health interventions and enhance health literacy it is essential to focus on capacity building through a patient-centered approach, to promote digital health literacy, and foster the cultivation of a participatory culture. The outcomes of this study offer valuable insights that can inform practical applications, further research endeavors, and influence policymaking

A multi-centre, randomized, controlled trial on coaching and telemonitoring in patients with cystic fibrosis: conneCT CF

Background: The extend of lung disease remains the most important prognostic factor for survival in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), and lack of adherence is the main reason for treatment failure. Early detection of deterioration in lung function and optimising adherence are therefore crucial in CF care. We implement a randomized controlled trial to evaluate efficacy of telemonitoring of adherence, lung function, and health condition in combination with behavior change interventions using innovative digital technologies. Methods: This is a multi-centre, randomized, controlled, non-blinded trial aiming to include 402 patients >= 12 years-of-age with CF. A standard-of-care arm is compared to an arm receiving objective, continuous monitoring of adherence to inhalation therapies, weekly home spirometry using electronic devices with data transmission to patients and caring physicians combined with video-conferencing, a self-management app and professional telephone coaching. The duration of the intervention phase is 18 months. The primary endpoint is time to the first protocol-defined pulmonary exacerbation. Secondary outcome measures include number of and time between pulmonary exacerbations, adherence to inhalation therapy, changes in forced expiratory volume in 1 s from baseline, number of hospital admissions, and changes in health-related quality of life. CF-associated medical treatment and care, and health care related costs will be assessed by explorative analysis in both arms. Discussion: This study offers the opportunity to evaluate the effect of adherence interventions using telemedicine capable devices on adherence and lung health, possibly paving the way for implementation of telemedicine in routine care for patients with CF

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements