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Twitter Analysis of #OpenAPS DIY Artificial Pancreas Technology Use Suggests Improved A1C and Quality of Life

Overview of attention for article published in Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, September 2018
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About this Attention Score

  • In the top 5% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric
  • Among the highest-scoring outputs from this source (#29 of 1,682)
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age (98th percentile)
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age and source (96th percentile)

Mentioned by

news
11 news outlets
blogs
1 blog
policy
1 policy source
twitter
109 X users

Citations

dimensions_citation
71 Dimensions

Readers on

mendeley
144 Mendeley
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Title
Twitter Analysis of #OpenAPS DIY Artificial Pancreas Technology Use Suggests Improved A1C and Quality of Life
Published in
Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, September 2018
DOI 10.1177/1932296818795705
Pubmed ID
Authors

Michelle L. Litchman, Dana Lewis, Lesly A. Kelly, Perry M. Gee

Abstract

Patient-driven innovation in diabetes management has resulted in a group of people with type 1 diabetes who choose to build and share knowledge around a do-it-yourself (DIY) open source artificial pancreas systems (OpenAPS). The purpose of this study was to examine Twitter data to understand how patients, caregivers, and care partners perceive OpenAPS, the personal and emotional ramifications of using OpenAPS, and the influence of OpenAPS on daily life. Qualitative netnography was used to analyze #OpenAPS on Twitter over a two-year period. There were 328 patients, caregivers, and care partners who generated 3347 tweets. One overarching theme, OpenAPS changes lives, and five subthemes emerged from the data: (1) OpenAPS use suggests self-reported A1C and glucose variability improvement, (2) OpenAPS improves sense of diabetes burden and quality of life, (3) OpenAPS is perceived as safe, (4) patient/caregiver-provider interaction related to OpenAPS, and (5) technology adaptation for user needs. As users of a patient-driven technology, OpenAPS users are self-reporting improved A1C, day-to-day glucose levels, and quality of life. Safety features important to individuals with diabetes are perceived to be embedded into OpenAPS technology. Twitter analysis provides insight on a patient population driving an innovative solution to improve their quality of diabetes care.

X Demographics

X Demographics

The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 109 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 144 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 144 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Researcher 16 11%
Student > Ph. D. Student 13 9%
Student > Master 12 8%
Student > Bachelor 11 8%
Other 9 6%
Other 26 18%
Unknown 57 40%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 22 15%
Nursing and Health Professions 13 9%
Business, Management and Accounting 9 6%
Computer Science 9 6%
Social Sciences 7 5%
Other 21 15%
Unknown 63 44%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 158. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 06 August 2023.
All research outputs
#259,266
of 25,385,509 outputs
Outputs from Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology
#29
of 1,682 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#5,370
of 347,461 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology
#1
of 30 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,385,509 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 98th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,682 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 13.6. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 98% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 347,461 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 98% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 30 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 96% of its contemporaries.