Failing the challenge: Diabetes apps & long-term daily adoption

Diabetes spending is responsible for more than 10% of worldwide health costs. Mobile health has emerged as a strategy for supporting healthier lifestyles and relieving over-burdened medical systems. In 2013 only 1.2% of diabetics with a smartphone were estimated to be using a diabetes app. We looked at the real-world behavior of people with diabetes who had used these apps, in order to learn more about the effects of these products in their lives. Participants were interviewed about their views and experiences on diabetes and non-diabetes related apps. We found the majority of participants were no longer using apps as part of their daily diabetes self-management, despite a generally positive assessment of these products. The lack of ?stickiness? (the tendency to stay and return to a product), suggests that significant barriers to adoption remain to be solved.