Integrating Persuasive Technology to Telemedical Applications for Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) patients need constant monitoring of food, exercise and insulin level. Telemedical systems aid the patients in monitoring and sending their regular blood glucose to nurses and in receiving suggestions on food, exercise and insulin dosage, especially on food choices. This paper presents a qualitative inquiry aimed at investigating the possibility of integrating Persuasive Technology (PT) into existing telemedical system for T2D to promote desirable dietary and physical activity among T2D patients and how T2D patients perceive the role of such PTs in comparison to a human persuader. The findings show that T2D patients prefered to receive dietary recommendation and suggestions or restrictions from a PT. The T2D patients prefer to be told what they can or cannot eat by a PT than hearing it from a human. Thus, PTs hold significant promise of complementing existing telemedical applications to achieve desirable health outcome for T2D. However, since the motivational needs of T2D patients may differ from those of non-diabetic individuals [12], there is a need to understand them and tailor the PT to reflect the needs and beliefs of the T2D patients