Open AccessParticipants’ perspectives on perceived usefulness of digital and in‐person diabetes prevention programs: A qualitative study to inform decisions related to program participation
Author(s) -
Gruß Inga,
Mayhew Meghan,
Firemark Alison,
Fitzpatrick Stephanie L.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
obesity science and practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.654
H-Index - 14
ISSN - 2055-2238
DOI - 10.1002/osp4.562
Subject(s) - accountability , qualitative research , medicine , applied psychology , digital health , medical education , focus group , psychology , health care , social science , business , marketing , sociology , political science , law , economics , economic growth
Objective Given the effectiveness of both in‐person and digital diabetes prevention programs (DPPs), participants have an opportunity to select a delivery mode based on their needs and preferences. The objective of this study was to understand and compare participants’ experiences with digital and in‐person DPPs to identify factors that affected how useful participants perceived these two program delivery modes. Methods Semi‐structured interviews with participants who were enrolled in DPPs as either a digital ( n = 23) or in‐person ( n = 20) program within one health care system were conducted. Data were analyzed following the template method using the qualitative software NVivo 12. Results Findings from the interviews indicated that creating accountability for weight loss was crucial for all program participants. In the digital program, weight and food tracking played a central role in creating accountability, while in the in‐person program, group interactions fostered accountability. The digital program was perceived to encourage self‐monitoring, oftentimes resulting in participants’ reflection on their habits. The in‐person program provided a platform for group support and mutual encouragement. Conclusions Participants perceived both programs as similarly useful. Yet program characteristics such as the ability to engage with other participants in‐person or to seamlessly track weight on a daily basis appealed to different participants. It may be beneficial to align participants’ preferences with programs’ characteristics and strengths.