Usability of Digital Health solutions in Diabetes Care – an empirical study

Abstract

Digital health is a relatively new field of study of the crossroads of health care and technology. As populations grow older and diseases such as diabetes become more common, new inventions and improvements in digital health are needed. Many current health care solutions already depend on technology, but how well has this bridge between tech and treatment been built?

This thesis looks into the different digital services currently in use by diabetics and practitioners in Finland, as well as the perceived usability of these systems. This is done by conducting five interviews with diabetics, immediate relatives of diabetics as well as professionals of diabetes treatment. As theoretical frameworks of usability, this thesis draws from two distinguished metrics of usability to support the empirical data from interviews. This thesis aims to find connections with existing literature as well as provide additional information on the usability of existing solutions of digital health care.

Key findings of this study show that while most digital health solutions offered to Finnish diabetics today are useful and appreciated, the field of digital health still needs better solutions to maximise the impact these digital interventions can have in implementing better care.