Integrating Technology into Self-Management Ecosystems: Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes in the UK using Smartwatches

Sam Gordon James; Miranda Elaine Glynis Armstrong; Zahraa S. Abdallah; Harry Emerson; Aisling Ann O'Kane

doi:10.1145/3706598.3713247

Integrating Technology into Self-Management Ecosystems: Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes in the UK using Smartwatches

Sam Gordon James, Miranda Elaine Glynis Armstrong, Zahraa S. Abdallah, Harry Emerson, Aisling Ann O'Kane

Department for Health

University of Bristol

Research output: Chapter or section in a book/report/conference proceeding › Chapter in a published conference proceeding

1 Citation (SciVal)

Abstract

Self-managing chronic conditions typically involves a diverse network of individuals and devices, forming a self-management ecosystem. For this ecosystem to be effective, components need to work together cohesively. The rapid advancement of technology means new devices need to be repeatedly integrated into existing self-management ecosystems. To examine this process, we used the case study of young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the UK who were given a smartwatch. Over six months, interviews and focus groups were performed to explore their smartwatch use alongside T1D management. Thematic analysis highlighted that smartwatches have potential as a display, interface and data source in T1D management, which is of particular importance as artificial intelligence plays a growing role in self-management ecosystems. It also emphasised the need for customisation, flexibility and adaptability, and automation in the design of technology to promote integration into existing self-management ecosystems for both T1D and other chronic conditions.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	CHI 2025 - Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery
ISBN (Electronic)	9798400713941
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3706598.3713247
Publication status	Published - 26 Apr 2025
Event	2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2025 - Yokohama, Japan Duration: 26 Apr 2025 → 1 May 2025

Publication series

Name	Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings

Conference

Conference	2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2025
Country/Territory	Japan
City	Yokohama
Period	26/04/25 → 1/05/25

Funding

Huge thanks go to the participants for their time and engagement, Breakthrough T1D for their help in participant recruitment and Will for his valuable insights. This work was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Digital Health and Care Centre for Doctoral Training at the University of Bristol (UKRI Grant No. EP/S023704/1), seed corn funding from Jean Golding Institute for data science and data-intensive research at the University of Bristol, and funding for the AI for Collective Intelligence Research Hub from the UKRI AI Programme and EPSRC (Grant No. EP/Y028392/1). The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Bristol Biomedical Research Centre also funds one of the study's co-authors (MEGA). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Funders	Funder number
UK Research and Innovation	EP/S023704/1
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council	EP/Y028392/1

Keywords

Empirical study that tells us about how people use a system
Health - Wellbeing
Individuals with Disabilities & Assistive Technologies
Wearable Computers

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Human-Computer Interaction
Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design
Software

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1145/3706598.3713247Licence: CC BY

Cite this

Gordon James, S., Armstrong, M. E. G., Abdallah, Z. S., Emerson, H., & O'Kane, A. A. (2025). Integrating Technology into Self-Management Ecosystems: Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes in the UK using Smartwatches. In CHI 2025 - Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Article 120 (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3706598.3713247

Integrating Technology into Self-Management Ecosystems: Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes in the UK using Smartwatches. / Gordon James, Sam; Armstrong, Miranda Elaine Glynis; Abdallah, Zahraa S. et al.
CHI 2025 - Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Association for Computing Machinery, 2025. 120 (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings).

Research output: Chapter or section in a book/report/conference proceeding › Chapter in a published conference proceeding

Gordon James, S, Armstrong, MEG, Abdallah, ZS, Emerson, H & O'Kane, AA 2025, Integrating Technology into Self-Management Ecosystems: Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes in the UK using Smartwatches. in CHI 2025 - Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems., 120, Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings, Association for Computing Machinery, 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2025, Yokohama, Japan, 26/04/25. https://doi.org/10.1145/3706598.3713247

Gordon James S, Armstrong MEG, Abdallah ZS, Emerson H, O'Kane AA. Integrating Technology into Self-Management Ecosystems: Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes in the UK using Smartwatches. In CHI 2025 - Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Association for Computing Machinery. 2025. 120. (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings). doi: 10.1145/3706598.3713247

Gordon James, Sam ; Armstrong, Miranda Elaine Glynis ; Abdallah, Zahraa S. et al. / Integrating Technology into Self-Management Ecosystems : Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes in the UK using Smartwatches. CHI 2025 - Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Association for Computing Machinery, 2025. (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings).

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Integrating Technology into Self-Management Ecosystems: Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes in the UK using Smartwatches

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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Cite this