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Perspective of young people with diabetes on educational intervention on Facebook®

Abstract

Objective

To understand the perspective of young people with Diabetes Mellitus on the participation in a self-care encouragement group on Facebook®.

Methods

A descriptive and exploratory study with 35 young people with type 1 Diabetes Mellitus who participated in a group on Facebook®. The data were collected by a semi-structured interview and after was submitted to Thematic Content Analysis.

Results

Three categories were identified: conventional care offered to young people with Diabetes Mellitus; advantages of using Facebook® for healthcare innovation; and Spirit of community and strengthening of bond from the group on Facebook®. These show that, from the perspective of young people with diabetes, participation in the group favored the development of spirit of community and strengthening of bond between peers, besides helping to accept the disease and to form a support network. In addition, there was a positive assessment of participation, as young people expressed the wish that other groups with similar characteristics be implemented.

Conclusion

Educational actions on Facebook® are well accepted by young people and can be an important strategy to bring them closer to health services and help them in their self-care actions.

Diabetes mellitus; Autocuidado; Rede social

Resumo

Objetivo

Apreender a perspectiva de jovens com diabetes mellitus sobre a participação em um grupo de estimulo ao autocuidado na rede social Facebook®.

Métodos

Estudo descritivo e exploratório, junto a 35 jovens com diabetes mellitus tipo 1 que participaram de um grupo no Facebook®. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevista semi-esturuada e após submetidos à análise de conteúdo, modalidade temática.

Resultados

Foram identificadas três categorias: assistência convencional oferecida aos jovens com diabetes mellitus; vantagens da utilização do Facebook® para inovação da assistência à saúde, e espírito de comunidade e fortalecimento a partir do Facebook®, as quais mostram que, na perspectiva de jovens com diabetes, a participação no grupo favoreceu o desenvolvimento do espírito de comunidade e o fortalecimento de vínculo entre os pares, além de auxiliar no processo de aceitação da doença e na formação de uma rede de suporte. Além disso, observou-se avaliação positiva sobre a participação, uma vez que os jovens manifestaram o desejo de que outros grupos com características semelhantes fossem implementados.

Conclusão

Ações educativas na rede social Facebook® são bem aceitas por jovens e pode constituir uma estratégia importante para aproximá-los dos serviços de saúde e auxiliá-los nas ações de autocuidado.

Diabetes mellitus; Autocuidado; Rede social

Resumen

Objetivo

comprender la perspectiva de jóvenes con diabetes mellitus sobre la participación en un grupo de estímulo al autocuidado en la red social Facebook®.

Métodos

estudio descriptivo y exploratorio, con 35 jóvenes con diabetes mellitus tipo 1 que participaron en un grupo de Facebook®. Los datos fueron recopilados por medio de entrevista semiestructurada y luego sometidos al análisis de contenido, modalidad temática.

Resultados

se identificaron tres categorías: atención convencional ofrecida a los jóvenes con diabetes mellitus, ventajas de la utilización del Facebook® para innovación en la atención a la salud, y espíritu de comunidad y fortalecimiento a partir del Facebook®. Estas categorías demuestran que, en la perspectiva de jóvenes con diabetes, la participación en el grupo favoreció el desarrollo del espíritu de comunidad y el fortalecimiento del vínculo entre los pares, además de ayudar en el proceso de aceptación de la enfermedad y en la formación de una red de apoyo. Además, se observó una evaluación positiva sobre la participación, dado que los jóvenes manifestaron el deseo de que se implementen otros grupos con características semejantes.

Conclusión

acciones educativas en la red social Facebook® son bien aceptadas por los jóvenes y pueden constituir una estrategia importante para acercarlos a los servicios de salud y ayudarlos en las acciones de autocuidado.

Diabetes mellitus; Autocuidado; Red social

Introduction

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is one of the fastest growing chronic conditions in the world and constitutes an important public health problem due to the severity of its complications. For effective management and good glycemic control, it is necessary for people affected to be aware of their etiology, treatment and self-care actions, understanding their purpose and importance.11. Kassahun T, Gesesew H, Mwanri L, Eshetie, T. Diabetes related knowledge, self-care behaviours and adherence to medications among diabetic patients in Southwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional survey. BMC endocr disord . 2016;16: 28.

Engaging people in self-care practices depends on cultural, educational, and also on skills, individual limitations, life experience, health status and available resources.22. Rossaneis MA, Haddad MC, Mathias TF, Marcon SS. Differences in foot self-care and lifestyle between men and women with diabetes mellitus. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2016;24:e2761In this sense, the efficient management of the disease in young people can be facilitated through educational activities that value their individual capacity and provide access to information and guidance.

Health professionals, therefore, need to involve young people with DM in educational activities, as they can help them cope with difficulties, improve health behavior, and keep disease under control. Nevertheless, these need to be differentiated from those traditionally offered.33. Moreschi C, Rempel C, Backes DS, Pombo CN, Siqueira DF, Pissaia LF. Actions of FHS teams for the quality of life of people with diabetes. Ciênc Cuid Saude. 2018; 17(2):1-8. Insertion of differentiated educational practices with understandable and contextualized language allows young people to have a better understanding of the clinical picture and the importance of treatment and self-care actions.44. Penso MA, Brasil KC, Arrais AR, Lordello SR. [Health and school: Perceptions of this relationship by primary health care professionals working with teenagers in the Federal District]. Saúde Soc São Paulo. 2013;22(2):542-53. Portuguese.

However, the low participation of the healthy young or those with a chronic condition in activities proposed by health services is a challenge and this interferes with the lack of planning and performance of health actions. In these cases, the internet presents itself as a possible tool to be used, since social networks have changed the nature of relationships between people, and since its inception attracted millions of users, who integrated them into their daily lives and turned it into an important communication platform.55. Possolli GE, Nascimento GL, Silva JO. [The use of face book on academic contexts: user profile and Its Pedagogic and Health Education Contributions]. Rev Renote. 2015;13(1):1-10. Portuguese.

Among online platforms, Facebook® is the most prominent. Brazil is the second country with the largest number of users, behind only the United States. Facebook® is considered a media tool that allows various ways of learning - creation of discussion groups on relevant subjects allows the exchange and construction of knowledge.55. Possolli GE, Nascimento GL, Silva JO. [The use of face book on academic contexts: user profile and Its Pedagogic and Health Education Contributions]. Rev Renote. 2015;13(1):1-10. Portuguese.

Internationally, the use of digital platforms as a tool for health education in patients with DM has been the object of several studies, which has highlighted the benefits of this use.66. Årsand E, Bradway M, Gabarron E. What are diabetes patients versus health care personnel discussing on social media? J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2019; 13(2):198-205.

7. Abedin T, Al Mamun H, Lasker MAA, Ahmed SW, Shommu N, Rumana N, Turim TC . Social Media as a Platform for Information About Diabetes Foot Care: A Study of Facebook Groups. Can J Diabetes. 2017; 41: 97-101

8. White K, Gebremariam A, Lewis D, Nordgren W, Wedding J, Pasek J, Garrity A, Hirschfeld E, Lee JM. Motivations for participation in an online social media community for diabetes. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2018; 12(3):712-8.

9. Petrovski G, Zivkovic M, Stratrova SS, Social media and diabetes: Can facebook and skype improve glucose control in type 1 diabetes patients in pump therapy? One-year experience. Diabetes Care. 2015: 38(4):e51-2.

10. Petrovski G, ZivKovic M. Impact of facebook on glucose control in type 1 diabetes: A three-year cohort study. JMIR Diabetes.2017;2:1-6.
-1111. Hansen AH, Broz J, Claudi T, Årsand E. Relations between the use of electronic health and the use of general practitioner and somatic specialist visits in patients with type 1 diabetes: cross-sectional study. J Med Internet Res. 2018; 20(11):e11322. For example, it has been identified that an important percentage - about 30% - of patients with 1DM and 2DM use Facebook® as the first source of information about the disease.55. Possolli GE, Nascimento GL, Silva JO. [The use of face book on academic contexts: user profile and Its Pedagogic and Health Education Contributions]. Rev Renote. 2015;13(1):1-10. Portuguese.

This tool has been used to share personal clinical information, request specific disease guidance and feedback, and also receive emotional support.77. Abedin T, Al Mamun H, Lasker MAA, Ahmed SW, Shommu N, Rumana N, Turim TC . Social Media as a Platform for Information About Diabetes Foot Care: A Study of Facebook Groups. Can J Diabetes. 2017; 41: 97-101 A study identified that 40% of the patients and relatives surveyed, participants of a group to share experiences and information about DM without official participation of health professionals, reported having benefited from the information and 99% did not suffer any harm by following the group’s advice.88. White K, Gebremariam A, Lewis D, Nordgren W, Wedding J, Pasek J, Garrity A, Hirschfeld E, Lee JM. Motivations for participation in an online social media community for diabetes. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2018; 12(3):712-8.

A study conducted with 56 students aged 14-23 in a regular group and Internet group, used Facebook® and Skype® as alternatives to regular clinical visits. Both groups showed improvement in disease control, with no difference in acute complications (diabetic ketoacidosis and severe hypoglycemia events), total daily insulin dose and weight change at the end of 12 months of intervention.99. Petrovski G, Zivkovic M, Stratrova SS, Social media and diabetes: Can facebook and skype improve glucose control in type 1 diabetes patients in pump therapy? One-year experience. Diabetes Care. 2015: 38(4):e51-2.The positive factor of Facebook® in the improvement of glycemic control in adolescents is attributed to the fact that it facilitates interaction among young people and exchange of experiences.1010. Petrovski G, ZivKovic M. Impact of facebook on glucose control in type 1 diabetes: A three-year cohort study. JMIR Diabetes.2017;2:1-6.

In Brazil, a study carried out in Rio de Janeiro State evidenced the positive impacts of social media on the interpersonal relationship between doctor and patient, on chronic condition self-management and empowerment for self-care actions development. Ease of access to information, exchange of experiences and social support favored by online connection were highlighted.1111. Hansen AH, Broz J, Claudi T, Årsand E. Relations between the use of electronic health and the use of general practitioner and somatic specialist visits in patients with type 1 diabetes: cross-sectional study. J Med Internet Res. 2018; 20(11):e11322.,1212. Fernandes LS, Calado C, Araujo CA. Social networks and health practices: influence of a diabetes online community on adherence to treatment. Ciênc Saúde Coletiva. 2018;23(10):3357-68.

Finally, the results of studies point to the possibility of health professionals to use social media to provide support for the education of patients with DM and their caregivers, disseminating useful and safe knowledge and information related to disease treatment and control.77. Abedin T, Al Mamun H, Lasker MAA, Ahmed SW, Shommu N, Rumana N, Turim TC . Social Media as a Platform for Information About Diabetes Foot Care: A Study of Facebook Groups. Can J Diabetes. 2017; 41: 97-101,1111. Hansen AH, Broz J, Claudi T, Årsand E. Relations between the use of electronic health and the use of general practitioner and somatic specialist visits in patients with type 1 diabetes: cross-sectional study. J Med Internet Res. 2018; 20(11):e11322.

Given the above and considering the high prevalence of 1DM, there is complexity in the management of this condition, especially by young people. There is a low demand for health services from them,1313. Martins MM, Aquino R, Pamponet ML, Pinto Junior EP, Amorim LD. Adolescent and youth access to primary health care services in a city in the state of Bahia, Brazil. Cad Saúde Pública. 2019; 35(1):1-15. making it imperative to develop actions that overcome traditional care. To do so, an alternative would be the use of social media as a tool for education and monitoring of the health condition, since they are part of the daily life of young people, and even of health professionals. Moreover, it was defined as the objective of the study to understand the perspective of young people with DM on participation in a self-care encouragement group on Facebook®.

Methods

This is a descriptive and exploratory study conducted with young people with DM who participated in an educational intervention on Facebook®.

The participants of the intervention were intentionally selected from a relationship provided by the Municipal Health Office of the city of Maringá, Paraná State, with the name of the user and their mother, date of birth, SUS (Brazilian Unified Health System – Sistema Único de Saúde) card number and illness. The inclusion criteria were to be between 18 and 29 years old, have DM, reside in the municipality, have an active Facebook® account and access the social network at least three times a week. Nevertheless, the exclusion criteria were to have non-existent telephone number and not to be localized in at least five attempts in diverse days and times.

The invitation to participate in the study was done by telephone contact (number located on the online register), at which time they were informed about the purpose of the study and type of participation desired, and investigated the use and frequency of access to Facebook®. For those who accepted the invitation, a personal meeting was scheduled on the day, time and place of their preference.

Of the 99 individuals included in the study, only 35 were included in the study, since 32 individuals did not meet the inclusion criteria (no diabetes or age above 29 years), 12 were not located and 20 did not participate, alleging lack of time or interest.

The inclusion in the group “Diabetes: let’s talk?” Only occurred after personal contact, when it was clarified the rules of postings and operation of the group. For effective inclusion, it was necessary for the young person to add the researcher to his Facebook account®. At the same time, data on socio-demographic characteristics were also collected. The Self-Efficacy Diabetes Scale - Short Version (measures psychosocial self-efficacy for self-care management in DM)1414. Chaves FF, Reis IA, Pagano AS, Torres HC. Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Diabetes Empowerment Scale – Short Form. Rev Saúde Pública. 2017;51:16.and the COMPASSO protocol (allows the individual to identify the barriers in their adherence to self-care practices in DM) were used.1515. Fernandes BS, Reis IA, Pagano AS, Cecilio SG, Torres HC. Development, validation and cultural adaptation of the Compasso protocol: Adherence to self-care in diabetes. Acta Paul Enferm. 2016; 29(4):421-9. In this communication, data from these two tools will not be addressed.

The group worked in June and July 2017 with the purpose of disseminating specific content about DM, promoting the exchange of experiences and dialogue between the young people and between them and the researcher. It was developed in the private format and allowed participants to view, comment, and post. Only the researcher could include new entrants, terminate activities and remove the group from the social network, according to the platform’s commands in order to maintain the group’s composition and objectives.

The researcher’s role in the group was to encourage participants to practice self-care by posting videos, informative texts and clarifying doubts. The tools applied in the personal contact and the comments of the registered participants in the group subsidized the researcher’s posts. The main barriers identified to address the contents were: difficulty following the food plan, performing physical activity and making correct use of medicines.

Data regarding participation in the group were collected in August 2017 by a self-administered online questionnaire prepared by the researcher based on the study objectives. It consists of six open-ended questions that addressed young people’s perspectives on educational practices developed by health professionals to guide self-care and group functioning.

The data were entered into the Microsoft Word® program and submitted to the Thematic Content Analysis, following the three pre-established steps: pre-analysis, material exploration and data categorization.1616. Bardin L. Análise de conteúdo. Lisboa: Edições 70; 2011. Three categories emerged: conventional care offered to young people with Diabetes Mellitus; advantages of using Facebook® for healthcare innovation; and Spirit of community and strengthening of bond from the group on Facebook®.

Brazilian and international research ethics norms with human beings were respected (Certificado de Apresentação para Apreciação Ética - Certificate of Presentation for Ethical Consideration (CAAE: 62834816,4,0000,0104)/Research Ethics Committee; Opinion 1,963,605).

Results

The mean age of participants was 21 years. The majority were female (21), single (34) and had already completed or higher education degree was in progress (21). All participated in the activities until group closure. One of the young people had already participated in educational activities about childhood diabetes and three were enrolled in related pages on Facebook®.

From the content analysis, three categories emerged, whose deponents and examples of extracts from the speeches that compose them are described in chart 1.


Chart 1. Categories presentation

Discussion

Among the study limitations, the fact that the educational intervention was carried out with a limited group of young people and for a limited time was highlighted. In any case, the results allow to affirm that the formation of groups in social networks, with the purpose of encouraging self-care practices, can constitute an important strategy to approach young people who live with some chronic condition to health services.

When talking about the experience of participation in the group, the young people referred to the conventional care offered in primary care. This is characterized by individualized consultations and educational activities in groups by “disease”, that is, brings together people of all ages with the same health problem. They said that the schedules of these activities coincide with the work shifts, involve traditional methodologies and are little attractive.

It is observed that these results corroborate with the literature when portraying that the existence of difficulties in the access to health actions, as well as in their organization, are factors that contribute to the low demand of the young people for the Primary Health Care services.1313. Martins MM, Aquino R, Pamponet ML, Pinto Junior EP, Amorim LD. Adolescent and youth access to primary health care services in a city in the state of Bahia, Brazil. Cad Saúde Pública. 2019; 35(1):1-15.,1717. Vieira RP, Gomes SHP, Machado MF, Bezerra IM, Machado CA. Participation of adolescents in the Family Health Strategy from the theoretical-methodological structure of an enabler to participation. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2014; 22(2):309-16. Thus, care for people with DM is usually focused on face-to-face clinical meetings, medical and nursing appointments,33. Moreschi C, Rempel C, Backes DS, Pombo CN, Siqueira DF, Pissaia LF. Actions of FHS teams for the quality of life of people with diabetes. Ciênc Cuid Saude. 2018; 17(2):1-8.,1414. Chaves FF, Reis IA, Pagano AS, Torres HC. Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Diabetes Empowerment Scale – Short Form. Rev Saúde Pública. 2017;51:16.and it is necessary to rethink and implement care strategies for individuals with chronic conditions that are attractive to young people.

Educational activities are presented as the best way to educate young people with DM about the importance of self-care.1818. Berglund MM. Learning turning points in life with long-term illness visualized with the help of the life-world philosophy. Int J Qualitative Stud Health Well-Being. 2014;9:22842. When these occur in a group, the benefits can be enhanced by allowing the exchange of experiences, redesign of conceptions and production of new knowledge.1919. Vieira GL, Cecílio SG, Torres HC. The perception of users with diabetes regarding a group education strategy for the promotion of self-care. Esc Anna Nery. 2017; 21(1):e20170017,2020. Freitas CS, Kocourek S, Vey AP, Pivetta HM. Motivation of users of a Family Health Strategy in health groups. Rev Bras Promoç Saúde. 2015; 28(4):496-503.A study carried out in Portugal with 30 young people identified that they shared their experiences with greater ease in group activities, which highlights the benefits of these activities in living with diabetes.2121. Serrabulho L, Matos MG, Nabais J, Raposo J. [Prospects of young adults with type 1 diabetes on their life and diabetes]. Rev Portug Diabetes. 2015; 10(1):15-28. Portuguese.

A systematic review study pointed out that in the case of diabetes, all forms of intervention including health education activities are beneficial, be it individual or in group, face-to-face, by telephone or the internet; be performed by professionals or between pairs of patients; daily, weekly or monthly, with or without the involvement of the patient’s family, being in all formats.2222. Iquize RC, Theodoro FC, Carvalho KA, Oliveira MA, Barros JF, Silva AR. Educational practices in diabetic patient and perspective of health professional: a systematic review. J Bras Nefrol . 2017; 39(2):196-204.

Nonetheless, it must be considered that for young people, face-to-face meetings in conventional environments are not always attractive. The proof of this is that although the participants of this study were aware of the existence of educational activities, with face-to-face meetings at the health units, they did not feel encouraged to participate because of barriers such as location, time and methodology used in their conduction.

With regard to the category Advantages of using Facebook® as a strategy for healthcare innovation, it was observed that participants assume that the advancement of technology has made social networks used for social interaction, search for related information health and exchange of inputs. They recognize that social media can be accessed quickly and practically, as well as enabling other activities to be carried out in parallel. They also point out that Facebook® can be an important and effective tool for health education and care, and it can raise awareness of the importance of correctly following care related to insulin use.

Regarding this, the fact that the study group took place on a digital platform made it easier to participate. This is because in this platform there are no financial, organizational or geographical constraints, in addition to the extent to which young people embrace this technology.99. Petrovski G, Zivkovic M, Stratrova SS, Social media and diabetes: Can facebook and skype improve glucose control in type 1 diabetes patients in pump therapy? One-year experience. Diabetes Care. 2015: 38(4):e51-2. Similar results were found in a study of 227 young people with 1DM residing in Northern Ireland and England, noting that the five most cited reasons for not participating in structured diabetes education programs were: “other things to do”, “lack of time”, “it was not possible to take a break from school, college or work.” They also reported having learned about diabetes from other sources and being able to cope alone with the disease.2323. Coates VC, Horigan G, Davies M, Davies MT. Exploring why young people with Type 1 diabetes declare structured education with the goal of overcoming barriers. Diabet Med. 2017;34 (8):1092-9.

In this sense, considering that digital genres are already part of the daily life of young people and that the new forms of communication are increasingly consolidated, it can be concluded that they can constitute educational tools of great value for health needs, especially for the younger audience. The increasing use of digital technologies suggests the adaptation of primary care with the aggregation of “electronic care” technologies.2424. Mendes EV. O acesso à Atenção Primária à Saúde. Brasília (DF), Conselho Nacional de Secretários de Saúde (CONASS) [Internet]. 2016 [citado 2018 Jul 19] Disponível em www.sms.fortaleza.ce.gov.br/.../O%20ACESSO%20A%20ATENÇÃO%20PRIMÁRIA
www.sms.fortaleza.ce.gov.br/.../O%20ACES...

A study carried out in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará State, with 35 adolescents, identified that this generation prefers virtual relationships because they feel more at ease and with more freedom to express their feelings. They assert that the fact that they are not physically close to information sources encourages them to ask questions and to search for health information.2525. Beserra GL, Ponte BA, Silva RP, Beserra EP, Sousa LB, Gubert FA. Communication and the use of social networks from the perspective of adolescentes. Cogitare Enferm. 2016; 21(1):1-9.

Online communication impacts on society and influences people’s lives, given the diversification and acceleration of information, accessibility and services that reach users. The collaborative environment, triggered by the ease of information exchange via the Internet, served as basis for technological evolution of virtual social networks.2626. Ferreiro NS, Arruda Filho EJ. Usabilidade e preferência de uso na rede social facebook: uma análise netnográfica dos usuários tecnológicos. JISTEM USP. 2015;12(2):415-34.On the other hand, the possibility of involving a larger number of participants, since there are no impediments related to temporal and spatial factors, besides the preservation of anonymity, are aspects valued by the young.2727. Oliver-Mora M, Rueda LI. [Identification of 2.0 health experiences in the field of primary care in Spain]. Index Enferm . 2017; 26(1/2):72-76. Spanish

In this direction, a study conducted in a closed group on Facebook® with 52 young adults, North Americans, smokers, addressing knowledge and prevention of diseases, showed active participation. Positive feedback on study procedures led the authors to conclude that Facebook® may be a viable and efficient way to conduct groups with young adults.2828. Thrul J, Belohlavek A, Hambrick D, Kaur M, Ramo DE. Conducting online focus groups on Facebook to inform health behavior change interventions: Two case studies and lessons learned. Internet Intervent. 2017; 9:106-111.

Regarding Diabetes, a randomized clinical study conducted in the Republic of Macedonia with 56 people aged between 14 and 23 years, identified that patients approved communication with health professionals through social networks to obtain knowledge and information about the disease. It also observed that the control of diabetes in the participants of the online group was similar to those who attended regular visits to the clinic.99. Petrovski G, Zivkovic M, Stratrova SS, Social media and diabetes: Can facebook and skype improve glucose control in type 1 diabetes patients in pump therapy? One-year experience. Diabetes Care. 2015: 38(4):e51-2.

Thus, Facebook® has been explored as a learning environment with pages directed to the posting of specific contents and formation of groups destined to exchange of inputs. This reinforces that the use of innovative educational strategies is important in care for people with DM, since it provides knowledge and social interaction, and this reflects in their attitudes and skills in self-care practices, favoring the understanding of their role in health care.2929. Figueira AL, Villas Boas LC, Coelho AC, Freitas MC, Pace AE. Educational interventions for knowledge on the disease, treatment adherence and control of diabetes mellitus. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2017;25:e2863..

The use of social networks in nursing work processes is recent and has been used to research, teach and assist the most different profiles of individuals.3030. Mesquita AC, Zamarioli CM, Fulquini FL, Carvalho EC, Angerami EL. Social networks in nursing work processes: an integrative literature review. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2017;51:e03219 It should be emphasized that social network channels can encourage participation, involvement and continuity of care of both those receiving assistance and those who provide it, since they are efficient, ubiquitous and easy to use platforms. In addition, these platforms could contribute to more resolute health promotion interventions and reduce social inequalities in health, since they are tools that are available and accessible to all.3131. Gabarron E, Bradway H, Fernandez-Luque L, Chomutare T, Hansen AH, Wynn R, Årsand E. Social media for health promotion in diabetes: study protocol for a participatory public health intervention design. BMC Health Serv Res. 2018;18(1):414.

The participation of young people who experience the same health problem in an online group contributes to the acceptance of the disease. It is a space to provide and receive technical, emotional and medical support. In addition to that, support can extend to an extra experiences online forum, physically connecting its participants.3232. Gavrila V, Garrity A, Hirschfeld E, Edwards B, Lee JM. Peer support through a diabetes social media community. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2019;13(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/1932296818818828
https://doi.org/10.1177/1932296818818828...
This space of exchange, especially for the young, can constitute an opportunity to re-signify the chronic disease, as well as to recognize among the shared difficulties some self-care strategies that can be adopted to improve their quality of life.

The participants of this study assessed that the group allowed the development of the Spirit of community and strengthening of bond from the group on Facebook®, since it favored the online conviviality with people of the same age group and with the same health problems, communication private and collective relationship with a health professional and the sharing of specific experiences related to DM. The association of these characteristics, according to them, favored the acceptance of the disease and the formation of a support network, leading some participants to express the desire that other groups with similar characteristics be created, but without definition or time limitation.

Support networks - a set of meaningful relationships to the individual, in health situations, and especially in periods of illness - generally provide better adaptation and conviviality with a chronic illness, contributing to self-care practices and helping to reduce personal barriers to limit health care.

Dissemination of information through social network is conducive to the development of support not only due to the exchange of information in the virtual environment, but also to sharing of experiences, helping integration of participants, group engagement and strengthening of feelings as self-realization, identity and belonging.3333. Pereira Neto A, Barbosa L, Silva A, Dantas ML. O paciente informado e os saberes médicos: um estudo de etnografia virtual em comunidades de doentes no Facebook. História, Ciências, Saúde- Manguinhos. 2015; 22:1653-71.Nonetheless, given the possibility of divergence between the information posted in these groups and those recommended, mediation by professionals would minimize dissemination of wrong health practices.3434. Årsand E, Bradway M, Gabarron E. What are diabetes patients versus health care personnel discussing on social media? J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2019; 13(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/1932296818821649
https://doi.org/10.1177/1932296818821649...

In the nurses’ daily routine, the use of different technologies can produce significant changes in the self-care capacity of people with DM, highlighting the importance of technical and clinical knowledge of nursing interventions.33. Moreschi C, Rempel C, Backes DS, Pombo CN, Siqueira DF, Pissaia LF. Actions of FHS teams for the quality of life of people with diabetes. Ciênc Cuid Saude. 2018; 17(2):1-8.,3535. Olivatto GM, Teixeira CR, Pereira MC, Becker TA, Marques JV, Hodniki PP. Telephone support program for monitoring diabetes mellitus: satisfaction and glycemic control. Ciênc Cuid Saúde. 2014; 15(1):148-54. In this sense, the young people studied reported better adherence to treatment with the use of this technology.

DM is a serious public health problem and there is a lack of disease monitoring and follow-up by health services, especially in the case of young people. This is associated with inadequate adherence to the proposed treatment program, contributing to the worsening of the disease. It is inferred that the use of virtual technologies is useful to health professionals in their difficult task of supporting and assisting young people with 1DM.

Conclusion

The results of this study show that the self-care encouragement group developed on Facebook® and educational actions carried out were well accepted by the young with DM who also expressed the wish that more groups of this nature and with no closure period be implemented. These results indicate that this tool can be an important strategy to be used by the health services in approaching young people, especially those with chronic conditions, helping them to clarify doubts, correct adherence to treatment and, consequently, disease control.

Referências

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    Kassahun T, Gesesew H, Mwanri L, Eshetie, T. Diabetes related knowledge, self-care behaviours and adherence to medications among diabetic patients in Southwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional survey. BMC endocr disord . 2016;16: 28.
  • 2
    Rossaneis MA, Haddad MC, Mathias TF, Marcon SS. Differences in foot self-care and lifestyle between men and women with diabetes mellitus. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2016;24:e2761
  • 3
    Moreschi C, Rempel C, Backes DS, Pombo CN, Siqueira DF, Pissaia LF. Actions of FHS teams for the quality of life of people with diabetes. Ciênc Cuid Saude. 2018; 17(2):1-8.
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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    12 Aug 2019
  • Date of issue
    Jul-Aug 2019

History

  • Received
    11 Sept 2018
  • Accepted
    2 May 2019
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