Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and functionality of MyDiaText™, a website and text messaging platform created to support behavior change in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and to evaluate user satisfaction of the application.
Methods: This study was a nonrandomized, prospective, pilot trial to test the feasibility and user interface with MyDiaText, a text message system for 10- to 17-year-old youths with newly diagnosed T1DM. Feasibility was evaluated by assessing for the user's ability to create a profile on the website. Functionality was defined by assessing whether a subject responded to at least 2 text messages per week and by their accumulating points on the website. User satisfaction of the text messaging system was assessed using an electronic survey. The 4 phases of this study were community engagement-advisory sessions, screening and enrollment, intervention, and follow-up.
Results: Twenty subjects (14 male, 6 female) were enrolled. All subjects were able to create a profile, and of these, 86% responded to at least 2 text messages per week. A survey administered during follow-up showed that users enjoyed reading text messages, found them useful, and thought the frequency of messages was appropriate.
Conclusion: MyDiaText is a feasible, functional behavioral support tool for youth with T1DM. Users of the application reported high satisfaction with text messages and the reward system.