Fifty-five percent of millennials who live with diabetes said they would trust a health app more than a health professional for advice. The same number stated that thanks to health apps they are connecting with their doctors more frequently, according to Telcare’s first National Diabetes Awareness Index. The mobile diabetes management provider developed the Index to measure consumer awareness about diabetes and attitudes towards the use of technology in healthcare.
The index findings show that while nearly one in 10 Americans (29.1 million) suffer from the disease, 57% isn’t aware that diabetes can cause other major health issues, and 63% don’t know the difference between Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, or that Type 2 is preventable and curable. Despite this knowledge gap, digital health is opening up undiscovered possibilities for diabetes management and education as adoption of new tools for healthcare is on the rise.
For people living with diabetes, gaining a clear view of glucose levels and habits can reveal patterns which can result in tailored treatment to help combat problems that could lead to other life-threatening health complications:
- 58% of people living with diabetes want to use technology to track their diets and 36% trust technology to manage their chronic disease.
- 52% of Americans say they trust technology, with that number going up slightly to 57% when paired with the expertise of medical professionals.
- 65% percent of people want doctors to incorporate technology into their health plans with 71% reporting they would use technology to proactively monitor their fitness goals.
- 85% of people living with diabetes are more trusting of technology than people who identify themselves as caretakers of diabetes patients (76%).
- 88% of people want access to real-time data when managing their chronic diseases.
63% of Americans don’t know the difference between Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.Out of all generations polled, Millennials between the ages of 18 and 34 trust technology the most, and also serve as the largest group of care providers (46%) for those living with diabetes. Millennials are also the most invested in using apps for their health, with 77% being interested in using digital health to track their family’s health and fitness, which is at least 10% more than older generations.
“Technology is fueling a new approach to disease management,” said Connie Chitwood-Vu, Telcare certified diabetes educator in a statement. “People are embracing the industry’s move to digital health as their trust in the value of using technology to monitor and manage health has increased.”
[Via: HitConsultant]