JMIR Diabetes (Dec 2021)

Cocreation of Massive Open Online Courses to Improve Digital Health Literacy in Diabetes: Pilot Mixed Methods Study

  • Yolanda Alvarez-Perez,
  • Lilisbeth Perestelo-Perez,
  • Amado Rivero-Santana,
  • Ana M Wagner,
  • Alezandra Torres-Castaño,
  • Ana Toledo-Chávarri,
  • Andrea Duarte-Díaz,
  • Dácil Alvarado-Martel,
  • Barbara Piccini,
  • Stephan Van den Broucke,
  • Jessica Vandenbosch,
  • Carina González-González,
  • Michelle Perello,
  • Pedro Serrano-Aguilar

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2196/30603
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 4
p. e30603

Abstract

Read online

BackgroundSelf-management education is a fundamental aspect in the health care of people with diabetes to develop the necessary skills for the improvement of health outcomes. Patients are required to have the competencies to manage electronic information resources—that is, an appropriate level of digital health literacy. The European project IC-Health aimed to improve digital health literacy among people with diabetes through the cocreation of massive open online courses (MOOCs). ObjectiveWe report the preliminary results obtained in 3 participating countries in the IC-Health project (Italy, Spain, and Sweden) regarding (1) experience of the participants during the cocreation process of MOOCs, (2) perceived changes in their digital health literacy level after using MOOCs, and (3) a preliminary assessment of the acceptability of MOOCs. MethodsThe cocreation of the MOOCs included focus groups with adults and adolescents with diabetes and the creation of independent communities of practice for type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes participants aimed to co-design the MOOCs. Quantitative measures of the acceptability of MOOCs, experience in the cocreation process, and increase in digital health literacy (dimensions of finding, understanding, and appraisal) were assessed. ResultsA total of 28 participants with diabetes participated in focus groups. Adults and adolescents agreed that the internet is a secondary source of health-related information. A total of 149 participants comprised the diabetes communities of practice. A total of 9 MOOCs were developed. Acceptability of the MOOCs and the cocreation experience were positively valued. There was a significant improvement in digital health literacy in both adults and adolescents after using MOOCs (P<.001). ConclusionsAlthough the results presented on self-perceived digital health literacy are preliminary and exploratory, this pilot study suggests that IC-Health MOOCs represent a promising tool for the medical care of diabetes, being able to help reduce the limitations associated with low digital health literacy and other communication barriers in the diabetes population.