Table 1.
Texting for Diabetes Success example messages.
| Barrier or facilitator addressed | Example text messages | |
| Barriers |
|
|
|
|
Disease noveltya |
|
|
|
|
Taking care of diabetes reduces your chance of high blood pressure and preeclampsia (toxemia). |
|
|
|
Pregnancy hormones make your diabetes worse. Blame the placenta, then show it who's the boss! |
|
|
Failure of outcome expectationb | |
|
|
|
Don’t get frustrated! Stick with your diabetes plan over time to get the healthy results you want for you and your baby. |
|
|
|
Taking care of your diabetes during pregnancy gets you on track for life. Hard work now means a longer, healthier life |
|
|
Social chaos |
|
|
|
|
We know you have so much to do today. First thing on the list is making sure you and the baby are healthy - take care of your diabetes! |
|
|
|
Do you feel like you have the support you need? A healthy support system will benefit you and baby! Talk to us about resources at clinic. |
|
|
Nutrition comprehension and actionc | |
|
|
|
Craving something crunchy and sweet? Grab a small apple and small handful of nuts. Eat healthy to control your diabetes during pregnancy. |
|
|
|
Try buying frozen veggies over raw ones, they can be cheaper and last longer! Vegetables can help control your blood sugar. |
|
|
Psychological stressors |
|
|
|
|
Sometimes women can experience stress from relationships in their lives. Talking about what's bothering you can be healthy for both you and baby. Tell us about it at clinic. |
|
|
|
Identify your emotions. Say, “I feel upset, I'm not hungry” instead of reaching for the snack. |
|
|
Burden of disease managementd | |
|
|
|
Needles? Blood sugar checks? Ultrasounds? Too much to handle? Take it one day at a time, a healthy baby in the end will be your reward. |
|
|
|
You have an OB appointment at PAC tomorrow. Don't forget to come fasting and bring breakfast. |
| Facilitators |
|
|
|
|
Diabetes self-efficacy |
|
|
|
|
We know you can do this! You can beat your diabetes! |
|
|
|
Are you feeling confident about your diabetes? Great, you've earned it! |
|
|
External motivation |
|
|
|
|
Having a hard time keeping up with your diabetes? Everything you're doing now helps your baby! |
|
|
|
Have kids at home? Your healthy behavior means you are a great role model. |
|
|
Supportive environmente |
|
|
|
|
Make eating healthy a family affair! Involve the whole family with your healthy meal plan. |
|
|
|
Too hard to exercise near home? Try the park district or your neighborhood community center. |
|
|
Positive self-regulationf |
|
|
|
|
Everything you do now helps you live a longer life and be there for your baby. Good job! |
|
|
|
Seeing target blood sugars? Good job, you're on the right track! If not, talk to us! |
aRepresents the concept that diabetes and/or pregnancy are new learning concepts for the individual.
bRepresents the concept that individuals may not believe that their actions will lead to the desired outcome.
cRepresents the concept that nutrition recommendations may be both challenging to understand and challenging to execute.
dRepresents the concept that having diabetes during pregnancy places a substantial burden on the patient to organize and complete logistical activities, scheduling, monitoring, appointments, and other health-related tasks, above and beyond normal pregnancy.
eRepresents the concept that individuals may have the support of other individuals (eg, family) or a supportive physical environment (eg, safe places to exercise).
fRepresents an individual’s ability to be responsive to feedback or data and then make subsequent changes in their health behaviors.