Not All Diabetes Social Networking Sites Are The Same!

As we are all aware, the growth of online social networking for chronic medical conditions such as diabetes has been nothing short of astounding in recent years. As a clinician seeing people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2, young and old) on a daily basis it is quite clear that more and more people are becoming better informed becasue of these sites. However I am also spending increasing amounts of time “myth-busting” – changing perceptions about diabetes monitoring and treatment that have been based on dubious information obtained from some sites. So next time you log on to your favourite site ask yourself a few questions before you take on board the advice and especially before divulging information about yourself. Here are a few "check" questions:

• Does the site verify that the “experts” responding to your questions are who they say they are? Are they experienced in diabetes care or have experience living with the condition?
• Ask yourself who checks the site content for accuracy – an administrator, a person with diabetes, a nurse educator a doctor or no-one?
• Who pays for the site and is there a conflict of interest in terms of advertising and the information on the site?

Researchers from the US have recently published results of a survey of on-line social networking sites for diabetes in the medical journal Archives of Internal Medicine (the actual reference is Arch Intern Med 2011, Volume 171 (NO.17), pages 1589-91, http://www.archinternmed.com/). The researchers have highlighted the fact that high profile sites with many thousands of members can differ widely in the above aspects. many sites are dependent upon funding from Pharmaceutical, Diabetes Device and Insurance companies and that the majority also advertise products from the diet and exercise industry space. There is nothing wrong fundamentally with this but it is important to be aware of this given that there might occasionally be a conflict of interest.

I will ask the medical journal (Archives of Internal Medicine) if they are happy for me to post details of some specific sites here as you might like to see this report and check out your favourite site. Any questions ping me an email at info@VoyageMD.com or send a tweet (@GoDiabetesMD).

Clinical Research from VoyageMD

Our main aim at VoyageMD is to make travelling with diabetes safer and easier and we are making progress. Meanwhile we also believe that it is vital that we continue to contribute to medical research.

The focus of our research is 100% clinical – directly for the benefit of people living with diabetes. We are not involved in basic research or research involving animals.

We would like to keep everyone up to date with our research program. Here is a list of our recent publications since the start of 2011.

If you would like to support our research program – clinical research is very expensive then we would love to hear from you!

If anyone requires more information please ping us at: david.kerr@voyagemd.com


Here are the references with the Journal name and link together with summary “tweets” for the non-experts:

1. Hypoglycemia  decreases  myocardial  blood  flow  reserve  in  type 1  diabetes  and  in  healthy  humans. Circulation.

http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2011/09/11/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.992297.long

Heart problems caused by low glucose levels may due to reduced blood flow to the heart rather than rhythm problems?

2. HbA1c 3 months after the diagnosis predicts premature mortality in patients with new onset type 2 diabetes. Diabetic Medicine

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21913968

At diagnosis of type 2 #diabetes control blood glucose levels as well as possible in the first 3 months – the benefit lasts a long time

3. Insulin pump therapy with automated insulin suspension in response to hypoglycemia: reduction in nocturnal hypoglycemia in those at greatest risk. Diabetes Care

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/34/9/2023.long

New pumps that stop infusing insulin when the glucose sensor detects a hypo could reduce risk of severe ones #diabetes

4. Self-monitoring of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes: teaching an old dog new tricks. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology

http://journalofdst.org/worldpress/index.php?s=kerr&submit=Search

Thinking about timing and frequency of finger-stick blood testing in type 2 #diabetes can help to achieve better glucose control

5. Using insulin in type 2 diabetes – in need of a renaissance? Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology

http://journalofdst.org/worldpress/index.php?s=kerr&submit=Search

New technologies such as bolus calculators can overcome barriers to intensive insulin therapy in type 2 #diabetes

6. Deus ex Machina: the use of technology in type 1 diabetes. Primary Care Diabetes

http://www.primary-care-diabetes.com/article/S1751-9918(10)00138-5/abstract

Health care providers in primary care need to be aware of the potential benefits of technologies for #diabetes care

Take the Alcohol and Calorie test

Many of us like to have a few drinks on holiday. However many of us are also watching our waistlines. Have you ever considered the amount of calories in alcoholic drinks? See if you know the answers to the following questions and email them to info@VoyageMD.com

We will post the correct responses in due course

Cheers!!


1. What is the daily recommended calorie intake for women?
(a) 1000     (b) 1500     (c) 2000     (d) 2500     (e) 3000     (f) Don't know

2. What is the daily recommended calorie intake for men?
(a) 1000     (b) 1500     (c) 2000     (d) 2500     (e) 3000     (f) Don't know

3. How many calories do the following drinks contain?

One standard glass of wine (175 mls)
(a) 0-50     (b) 51-200     (c) 201-400     (d) 401-600     (e) more than 600     (f) Don't know

One bottle of wine
(a) 100-300     (b) 301-500     (c) 501-700     (d) 701-900     (e) more than 900     (f) Don't know

One pint of standard strength beer
(a) 0-100     (b) 101-250     (c) 251-500     (d) 501-700     (e) more than 700     (f) Don't know

One pint of dry cider
(a) 0-100     (b) 101-250     (c) 251-500     (d) 501-700     (e) more than 700     (f) Don't know

Single measure of "Baileys" liqueur (25 mls)
(a) 0-20     (b) 21-150     (c) 151-300     (d) 301-450     (e) 451-600     (f) Don't know

Vodka (single measure 25 mls) and Red Bull (half a can)
(a) 0-20     (b) 21-150     (c) 151-300     (d) 301-450     (e) 451-600     (f) Don't know

Gin (single measure 25 mls) and Slimline tonic (half a glass)
(a) 0-20     (b) 21-150     (c) 151-300     (d) 301-450     (e) 451-600     (f) Don't know

Bacardi Breezer (alcopop, 1 bottle)
(a) 0-20     (b) 21-150     (c) 151-300     (d) 301-450     (e) 451-600     (f) Don't know

Who wants to talk?

The recent change to Facebook whereby Pharmaceutical and Medical Device companies are no longer “protected” from comments being posted on their walls has led to some removing themselves from this form of social media completely. Others have basically said “no worries” and seem to be happy to continue to embrace this form of communication with patients and healthcare professionals.

To us at VoyageMD this is a discriminator between companies – those who have confidence in their products are unconcerned and will use social media more and more. Perhaps those who have not even dipped a toe in this particular water have something to hide? The excuse that some companies are waiting for the FDA (Food and Drug Administration in the United States) to produce guidelines before developing their social media presence is curious given that others are more than happy to post, blog and tweet.

In the diabetes space NovoNordisk (@Novonordisktbl), Animas (@cgc0211) are very responsive to questions from VoyageMD (@GoDiabetesMD) as are Roche (@accuchek_us). Here is a snippet of our recent dialogue with them on twitter:

@GoDiabetesMD

@Accuchek_US We would like to include a short summary of what you can offer travellers with #diabetes: bit.ly/ocPsrM Please reply

@accuchek_us

@GoDiabetesMD No special instructions for air travel, but travelers should always carry plenty of spares in case of high BG readings

@GoDiabetesMD

@accuchek_us How often should sets be changed and advice on if sets need changing more frequently if flying? #diabetes #travel #insulin

@accuchek_us

@GoDiabetesMD Accu-Chek infusion sets should be changed every 1 - 3 days, depending on instructions for use that came with set

@GoDiabetesMD

@accuchek_us Does that include the tubing? Sorry to be so specific but it matters

@accuchek_us

@GoDiabetesMD Yes, that includes tubing - again, check instructions or call customer care 800-280-7801 if there is any question. Thanks!

Social media is here to stay and at VoyageMD we are using social media to develop our site for travelers with diabetes. Hopefully the larger companies will no longer shy away from social media – after all it is how increasing numbers of us communicate with each other, why not with them?