Indonesian Nurses’ Perspectives on Developing Mobile Applications to Improve Diabetes Management in the Community: A Qualitative Study

Many diabetes patients in Indonesia face challenges adhering to treatment plans, highlighting the urgent need for technology to support effective community-based diabetes care. This technology can help patients manage their condition better, improve treatment adherence, and reduce the risk of complications. This study explored nurses' perspectives on developing mobile applications for diabetes using a qualitative descriptive design with seven nurses from a public health center in Magelang, Indonesia. Focus group discussions, observational forms, and audio recordings were used to capture detailed data, with each discussion lasting 50 minutes and conducted at the public health center. The semi-structured questions were conducted from May 2022 to December 2023, focusing on the challenges of providing diabetes care and developing a mobile application. The study highlighted four themes: complaints of diabetes care, need for technology diabetes care, challenges of patients, and challenges of family. The study's findings underscore several key implications for nursing practice, particularly in enhancing diabetes care through mobile technology. Nurses can use these applications to provide continuous patient education, improve treatment adherence, and monitor patients more effectively. Mobile tools also support patients and their families, addressing challenges in managing diabetes outside of clinical settings. Finally, nurses can advocate for integrating such technology into healthcare policies, contributing to better community-based diabetes management.