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Characterizing Technology Use and Preferences for Health Communication in South Asian Immigrants With Prediabetes or Diabetes: Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study
JMIR Form Res. 2024 Apr 26;8:e52687
Background: Type 2 diabetes is a significant concern for South Asian groups. Lifestyle programs can help manage diabetes, but they need to be adapted for mobile health (mHealth).
Objective: This study looked at technology access, current use, and preferences for health communication among South Asian immigrants with diabetes or at risk for diabetes, focusing on differences between sexes.
Methods: Data was collected from two clinical trials among South Asian immigrants in New York City. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to analyze the data.
Results:
- The average age of the participants was 51.8 years, with a majority being female, married, having limited English proficiency, and below high school education.
- Most participants owned smartphones and were interested in receiving diabetes information via text message.
- Female participants were less likely to own smartphones or use social media apps compared to male participants.
- Preferences for receiving diabetes information via text message or online platforms were associated with certain factors such as sex, education, employment, and smartphone ownership.
Conclusions: The study found that technology access and social media usage were moderately high among low-income South Asian immigrants in NYC with prediabetes or diabetes. Sex, education, marital status, and employment were linked to interest in mHealth interventions. The findings suggest the need for additional support for South Asian women in the development of mHealth interventions.
Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03333044, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03188094
PMID: 38669062 | DOI: 10.2196/52687
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