Last week a new mobile app was released to teach people about the management of diabetes in a new way. DiabetesIQ was developed by QuantiaMD and the University of California San Fransisco (UCSF) Diabetes teaching Center. The aim of the app is to improve the knowledge of diabetes in both patients and non-patients.
The app challenges individuals to test their diabetes knowledge in a quiz-format. People can also compete with others in their knowledge level of diabetes. This new approach intends to educate people in a new way: instead of imposing DOs and DONTs, DiabetesIQ promises to teach people in a playfull, educational manner, using positive incentives to promote adequate diabetes management.
An example question:
If you are exercising and want to prevent low blood sugar. Would that be:
- A banana or fruit juice?
- Peanut butter or cheese?
- A chocolate bar?
- Diet soda?
- All of the above?
[Hint: don’t answer “All of the above”]
The people behind the app stated that it is intended to explore how lifestyle and dietary decisions play out in terms of blood sugar. Its end goal is to connect the theory of managing diabetes to everyday reality.
DiabetesIQ is available for free download at the Apple iTunes store and Google Android Market. It is available for iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch devices running iOS 4.0 or later, or Google Android 1.6 and higher.
Press release: Interactive Mobile App from UCSF and QuantiaMD Teaches People How to Manage Diabetes
iTunes link: App Store link
