Development of the Digital Diabetes Education Platform for Type 1 Diabetes in Pakistan

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a structured and culturally appropriate diabetes education platform to provide accessible education to individuals and caregivers of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Methods: In phase I, the digital tele-education platform, named T1Dbits, was formed by modifying and translating the existing content of DigiBete, a digital diabetes platform in the UK. First, an Expert Advisory Group (EAG, n = 13) selected 30 topics on six key areas of diabetes self-management and education. A co-design group (n = 30 TIDs and HCPs) tailored content according to the needs of the Pakistani population, in linguistically appropriate formats. In phase II, this digital resource was implemented in Digital Diabetes Education Centers in rural and urban areas (n = 30), employing a hybrid of in-person and online education delivery. Results: From December 2023 to March 2026, the platform achieved 46,000 new users and 4200 returning users. Following the implementation of T1DBits, an absolute change of 1.31% in HbA1c levels and an increase in self-reported knowledge scores were observed among T1D individuals (n = 60). HCP and community feedback highlights the platform’s strong usability for daily T1D management. About 80.95% of HCPs reported that the content fulfills their need to practice. Overall, 61.4% of the community and 52.4% of HCPs recommended translations into regional languages. Conclusions: The platform achieved a high user rate and demonstrated its effectiveness in improving glycemic control and self-management knowledge scores of T1D individuals. The platform was found to be equally useful for the HCPs and T1D community members, indicating its strong feasibility to be integrated into the routine healthcare system of Pakistan.