TVE by mobile application with diabetic adolescents: health professionals' perceptions of the effects on the caregiver-adolescent relationship.

Summary Background: The impact of mobile technologies and applications on the caregiver-patient relationship and the perception of health care professionals working with adolescents with type 1 diabetes is not well addressed in the literature. The objective of this study is to present the point of view of health professionals concerning the effects on the caregiver-caregiver relationship of the use of a TPE mobile application with adolescents with diabetes. Method: We used a qualitative study design to conduct semi-structured interviews with 14 healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, dieticians, psychologists). These interviews were recorded and transcribed ad verbatim, then analyzed using an inductive method. Results: The analysis of the interviews revealed three themes: 1) the applications promote the construction and strengthening of the caregiver-patient relationship, 2) the awareness and consideration of the risk that digitalization can have on the relationship, 3) the important process of integrating digital technology while preserving the relationship. Discussion: The results contribute to a more general reflection on the risk of dehumanization of care linked to the digitization of care practices and management. The perspective of the health professionals converges with that of the patients described in the literature, especially concerning the improvement of communication and shared decision making. Consequently, the digitalization of TVE through the use of mobile applications seems compatible with the preservation of the human relationship essential to care.