T1DChat

Let’s chat and get started! Prototype development of a peer-to-peer chat platform for young people with type 1 diabetes

Topic: Digital health
Focus: Young people with type 1 diabetes
Method: Co-creation, Co-researchers

Duration: May 2023 - December 2023
Status: completed
Location: Austria
Funding: PPIE Exploration

What is the project about?

The rate of new cases of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is rising every year, and this trend is expected to continue in the future. T1D is a complex condition that requires constant monitoring and involves making new decisions every day, which are not always easy to make. Those affected often wish they could have a quick chat with someone who knows about T1D, whether that’s a specialist or someone who has T1D themselves. Sometimes young people with T1D don’t want to ask at the clinic or their parents; sometimes there are questions that not everyone needs to hear, and so there should be a space for these questions, and it should be anonymous.
A chat room where you can find people who know what it’s like when the blood sugar alarm goes off in the middle of the night, or when no one in hospital can explain why your blood sugar levels are behaving a certain way, or when people around you ask annoying questions and have no idea what T1D is. This chat room should not only provide a space for anonymous questions, but also offer the opportunity to network. Perhaps there is someone nearby who knows as much about T1D as you do, someone you can meet up with for a coffee and have a good time. There is a lack of such a platform for exchange in Austria, and that is exactly what this project aims to create.

What is the goal of the project?

The aim of the project is to develop a nationwide chat service for young people with T1D. Young people should be able to ask questions about T1D at any time and anonymously. The chat service is intended to provide peer support and a way to connect with others, as well as answers from experts.
On the one hand, the aim is to provide easy-to-understand and verified health information; on the other hand, there should also be opportunities to network, for example by setting up regional groups via the chat. This exploratory project aims to draw up detailed requirements specifications for a chat platform, with a view to subsequently submitting a funding application for the development and implementation of the chat.

Who participates in the project?

The project team comprises individuals with a wide variety of roles and positions who wish to work together on this project. The team is based in western and eastern Austria and consists of two co-researchers (young people with T1D), a paediatrician, a dietitian, a psychologist, a researcher from the University of Applied Sciences (FHV), and a sociologist at aks Gesundheit GmbH.

How are participants involved in the project?

The chat requirements specification is being developed in collaboration with young people with type 1 diabetes. This direct involvement encourages the young people to make their voices heard and contribute their ideas. The experts have the opportunity to contribute their specialist knowledge and practical experience, and to play an active role in developing a product designed to improve the health outcomes of people with T1D. The researchers benefit from the fact that it is possible to submit a joint application with those affected – something that is excluded in almost all other funding schemes.
As part of the project, an online consultation with the Type 1 diabetes community in Austria is planned, along with several working meetings with the project team, a Dynamic Facilitation workshop and a project workshop based on the Art of Hosting methodology.

How are participants recruited for the project?

The project team is building on a previous PPIE project, the Youngstars1 project. The Youngstars1 project led to the formation of new networks, which in turn helped to recruit participants for this project.