Video Consultation for Parents with a Child Newly Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Aims With the exception of the coronavirus pandemic, video consultations have not been a part of the standard care for children with diabetes in Germany. The "Virtual Diabetes Outpatient Clinic for Children and Adolescents 2.0" (VIDIKI 2.0) study investigated the effect of monthly and supplementary video consultations on standard care over one year. The qualitative substudy investigated the experiences of families with a child newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) who received at least four weekly supplementary video consultations.

Methods Guideline-based qualitative interviews were conducted with seven families with children under the age of eight and T1DM onset shortly before study entry. The answers were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis approach, particularly inductive category formation.

Results Families of patients with T1DM onset have questions, almost daily, concerning various aspects of insulin therapy. The offer of high-frequency video consultations can reduce the number of trips to the diabetes team, facilitate the organization of daily life and increase the sense of security.

Conclusion Video consultations as a supplementary offer of health care, especially after diabetes onset, were considered very helpful by the affected families. High-frequency video consultations may provide a tool to overcome existing deficiencies in specialized diabetes care.

Key words

Telemedicine - families - children - diabetes - qualitative research

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