Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2015;11(4):261-72.
doi: 10.2174/1573399811666150421123448.

The emerging diabetes online community

Marisa E Hilliard  1 , Kerri M Sparling, Jeff Hitchcock, Tamara K Oser, Korey K Hood
Affiliations
Review

The emerging diabetes online community

Marisa E Hilliard et al. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2015.

Abstract

Background: Diabetes self-management is complex and demanding, and isolation and burnout are common experiences. The Internet provides opportunities for people with diabetes to connect with one another to address these challenges. The aims of this paper are to introduce readers to the platforms on which Diabetes Online Community (DOC) participants interact, to discuss reasons for and risks associated with diabetes-related online activity, and to review research related to the potential impact of DOC participation on diabetes outcomes.

Methods: Research and online content related to diabetes online activity is reviewed, and DOC writing excerpts are used to illustrate key themes. Guidelines for meaningful participation in DOC activities for people with diabetes, families, health care providers, and industry are provided.

Results: Common themes around DOC participation include peer support, advocacy, self-expression, seeking and sharing diabetes information, improving approaches to diabetes data management, and humor. Potential risks include access to misinformation and threats to individuals' privacy, though there are limited data on negative outcomes resulting from such activities. Likewise, few data are available regarding the impact of DOC involvement on glycemic outcomes, but initial research suggests a positive impact on emotional experiences, attitudes toward diabetes, and engagement in diabetes management behaviors.

Conclusion: The range of DOC participants, activities, and platforms is growing rapidly. The Internet provides opportunities to strengthen communication and support among individuals with diabetes, their families, health care providers, the health care industry, policy makers, and the general public. Research is needed to investigate the impact of DOC participation on self-management, quality of life, and glycemic control, and to design and evaluate strategies to maximize its positive impact.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. (1)
Fig. (1)
Symbol representing peer support offered by the DOC (courtesy of the Diabetes Hands Foundation). This image is an adaptation of the blue circle symbol of the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF): the white sliver represents the proportion of time per year spent with a medical professional, and the blue represents the proportion of time in self-management, peer support may be helpful.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Tierney S., Deaton C., Webb K., et al. Isolation, motivation and balance: Living with type 1 or cystic fibrosis-related diabetes. J. Nurs. Healthc. Chronic Illn. 2008;17:235–243. - PubMed
    1. Folias A., Brown A.S., Carvalho J., Wu V., Close K.L., Wood R. Investigation of the presence and impact on patients of diabetes social stigma in the USA. Diabetes. 2014;15(Suppl. 1):59. [-LB.].
    1. Wolf A., Liu N. The numbers of shame and blame: How stigma affects patients and diabetes management. 7 August 2014: Available from: http://diatribe.org/issues/67/learning-curve. on 13 November . 2014.
    1. No author. Diabetes Index. 27 March 2014: Available from:http://www.faqs.org/faqs/diabetes/ on 13 November 2014. 2014.
    1. Sparling K. Rage bolus, anyone? 4 October 2005: Available fromhttp://sixuntilme.blogspot.com/2005/10/rage-bolus-anyone.html. on 13 November . 2014.

Publication types