Background: The insulin therapy in type 1 diabetes involves a wide array of restrictions in patients and their families. One of those is a difficulty in estimation of the insulin dose programmed for each meal. The purpose of the study is an assessment of functionalities related to the expert system VoiceDiab-a calculator of meal boluses.
Methods: The sample group composed of 54 patients, aged 3-52, all suffering from type 1 diabetes, treated with the insulin pump, taking part in the clinics RCT (for adults and a pediatrician), with a randomized allocation to a surveyed group and cross-over. The research methodology was based upon questionnaires and open-ended questions.
Results: 40% of respondents recognized the application's usefulness as high (18 of 47), giving it 10 points, and easy to use (70%). Disadvantages of this app comprised lack of some products in the application database (n = 23), troubles with the mobile range ( n = 4), and no option of a manual data input for processing purposes (n = 23). Advantages, that have been mentioned the most frequently included facilitation of measurements (n = 7), enhanced life quality of the patient (n = 8), and a guarantee of prompt and thorough calculations (n = 22). Of the surveyed individuals, 50% reached their diet, while 100% gave a top grade to the application, claiming it had contributed to a more efficient metabolic control.
Conclusion: The pilot scheme of the expert system VoiceDiab has potential to become an application, facilitating dosing of the meal insulin and improving the comfort and safety of insulin administering. However, it needs to be modified, as mentioned by the users who have tested the system.
Keywords: bolus calculator; diet; meal insulin dosing; type 1 diabetes.