The development of www.pregnancyanddiabetes.com.au - a website for women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes — ASN Events
  1. Schedule
  2. ADEA Poster Viewing One
  3. The development of www.pregnancyanddiabetes.com.au - a website for women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes

The development of www.pregnancyanddiabetes.com.au - a website for women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes (#387)

Effie Houvardas 1 , Kaye Farrell 2 , Christel Hendrieckx 3 , Natalie King 4 , Melinda Morrison 1 , Alison Nankervis 5 , Glynis P Ross 6 , Renza Scibilia 7 , Ralph Audehm 8
  1. Diabetes NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
  3. Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  4. Newcastle, NSW, Australia
  5. The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  6. Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  7. Diabetes Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  8. Dianella Community Health, Broadmeadows, VIC, Australia

The National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS)* Diabetes in Pregnancy National Development Program aims to improve pre-pregnancy planning and care in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. One of the key strategies is the development of web based pregnancy information for women with diabetes.

To determine the information needs of women with diabetes in relation to contraception and pregnancy and facilitate website development, consultation was undertaken with female NDSS Registrants with type 1 or type 2 diabetes aged 18-50 years. The NDSS Contraception, Pregnancy & Women’s Health Survey was a 66 item self-administered questionnaire which included a series of questions about women’s information needs and preferred format for contraception and pregnancy information.

Of 967 respondents, 81% reported that they would use, or have previously used, the internet to search for information about contraception, pregnancy and diabetes. When these women were asked about preferred format for accessing web based information, 92% requested downloadable fact sheets, 27% blogs, 26% online forums, 22% social media, 21% online/YouTube clips with information from a health professional and 19% online/YouTube clips with information from  women with diabetes. Information that respondents would like (either now or in the future) included: how to manage diabetes during pregnancy (70%), risks of complications for my baby (65%), how to manage diabetes to prepare for pregnancy (64%), risks or complications related to pregnancy (61%), medications or insulin changes during pregnancy (59%) and diabetes pre-pregnancy services (49%).

These survey results were used in the development of a dedicated pregnancy website for women with diabetes. The website development process included consultation with consumers (n=19) and health professionals (n=6) during the planning and development phase, as well as review by the project’s Expert Reference Group. Feedback was provided on website layout, look, functionality and content. Further feedback was obtained prior to the website being launched.

The website www.pregnancyanddiabetes.com.au went ‘live’ in June 2015 and will continue to evolve as an online resource for women with diabetes and health professionals.*The NDSS is an initiative of the Australian Government administered by Diabetes Australia.