The Development of a Coding Scheme to Examine Technology Use in Diabetes Self-Management

Abstract

Technology has become increasingly prevalent in people’s daily lives. Use of the internet is a good example of this, with more people in the United States using the internet than ever before (Pew Research Center, 2017a). Internet-mediated interactions with other users is also popular, and includes the use of social media and internet discussion forums. The analysis of these online interactions can represent a useful source of information to better understand human behavior. A well-developed coding scheme can allow researchers to analyze this internet forum data to address important research questions. For example, one could examine problems experienced by users while using glucometers to measure their blood sugar, or the costs and benefits perceived by users deciding to adopt an insulin pump. We present the development of a coding scheme to analyze internet forum discussions on the use of technology for diabetes self-management. Unique advantages and limitations of this type of data source are discussed along with future directions for the deployment of this coding scheme.