Diabetic patients hack together the technology they need. The doctors are just okay

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR GOOD

Twitter is good for spreading conspiracy theories, but it can also help improve the quality of life for people with health problems like diabetes.

In a study published Monday in The Journal of Diabetes Science and TechnologyResearchers at the University of Utah Health are examining how the diabetes community is using Twitter to share information on Open Source Artificial Pancreatic Technology (OpenAPS), a DIY hack into two diabetes management devices.

According to the researchers, the social media platform also gives health care providers and regulators a global view of patients' desires and needs, which could be valuable to better serve the diabetic community in the future. .

Piracy

Continuous Glucose Meters (CGMs) are devices that meet your expectations: they continuously monitor the glucose levels of people with diabetes. Insulin pumps, on the other hand, are computerized devices that automatically inject insulin into the body, as a constant flow or at specific times of the day.

OpenAPS is an off-label combination of these two devices. Members of the diabetic community have found a way to hijack CGM and insulin pumps to get them to "talk to each other", essentially producing a self-regulating artificial pancreas. The CGM notes when a person's glucose level is high and asks the pump to give him insulin.

PEOPLE SPEAKED

For their study, the researchers examined more than 3,000 tweets containing the #OpenAPS hashtag published between January 2016 and January 2018. From this, they identified five themes on which the diabetic community focused, including the Daily stress reduction and perception of OpenAPS is secure.

This is all the information providers and regulators in the health sector should consider when anticipating the desires and needs of people with diabetes, noted Michelle Litchman, first author of the study, in a press release. And now, thanks to research from the University of Utah Health Team, she's at their disposal.

READ MORE: Following Twitter Conversations About Pirated Diabetes Tools to Manage Blood Glucose[[[[EurekAlert]

More About Diabetes: A Cyborg Company: FDA Has Approved First Artificial Pancreas