Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Co-Creation; Glycemic Control; Human-Centered Design; Information Design; Interviews; Multidisciplinary; Participatory Design; Peer-To-Peer Communication; Type 1 Diabetes

This research project will employ interview and co-creation methods to aid in the design of a tool to be utilized by Canadians living with type 1 diabetes. Through peer-to-peer communication, this tool is intended to provide them with personal motivation, a shared knowledge base, and a sense of connection. Type 1 diabetes (T1D), is a self-managed, chronic autoimmune disease that affect's one's entire life. Successful diabetes management is dependent on excellent glycemic control, which is indicated by blood sugar levels. Poor glycemic control increases the risk of developing long-term complications, such as cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, and vision loss. Existing structures provide valuable information for type 1 diabetics, however this information is often overlooked as a result of two communication errors: 1) the information is typically shared in a top-down fashion, versus a peer-to-peer approach, and 2) while the content is accurate, the information is missing a context, i.e. the information is hyperspecific and rarely speaks to the daily experience of living with T1D. I intend to design a tool that incorporates peer-to-peer communication, thereby adding a significant layer of context to existing information. My primary research will consist of co-creation practices, as well as interviews with health professionals. The type 1 diabetic is given the position of “expert” and will play a significant role in the development of the tool through the deployment of a co-creation kit. It is my hope that this tool will lead its users to better glycemic control and ultimately fewer long-term complications. In turn, this tool may help decrease the demand on Canadian healthcare services and resources for type 1 diabetes.