Social media and education for children with diabetes

¹ Klaipeda University, Faculty of health sciences, Klaipeda, H. Manto str. Lithuania
² Klaipeda University, Faculty of health sciences, Klaipeda, H. Manto str. Lithuania

Abstract

Online platforms can not only be a place for communication or leisure, but also a place where children can share experiences, find the information they need and receive help. The methods used in the study were: theoretical - analysis, summarisation and systematisation of scientific literature; empirical - semi-structured interview method used for data collection; content analysis method used for data analysis. Children were selected according to the following criteria: 1) children with type 1 diabetes; 2) children with type 1 diabetes who have been ill for at least 2 years. The qualitative study involved 15 children (9 girls and 6 boys) with type 1 diabetes, aged between 14 and 17 years. The aim of the paper is to highlight the role of social media in the education of children with diabetes and to assess its potential. Research has shown that social media can be an effective tool in the education of children with diabetes, helping them to develop autonomy, disease awareness and health management. The study also found that social networking sites not only help children with diabetesmake friends and receive emotional support.