This qualitative study was conducted within the context of a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of an mHealth PRO tool (known as i-Matter) versus usual care regarding reduction in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and adherence to self-management behaviors at 12 months among patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes.  Patients randomized to i-Matter participated in semistructured interviews about their experiences at the 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month study visits.  Theme 1 showed that the patients' reasons for engagement with i-Matter were multifactorial.  Theme 2 revealed that the use of i-Matter changed patients' attitudes toward their disease and their health behaviors in 2 ways: patients developed more positive attitudes about their condition and their ability to effectively self-manage it (subtheme 3), and they also developed a better awareness of their current behaviors, which motivated them to adopt healthier lifestyle behaviors (subtheme 4).  Theme 3 showed that patients felt more committed to their health as a result of using i-Matter.  Theme 4 highlighted the limitations of i-Matter, which included its technical design (subtheme 5) and the need for more resources to support the PRO data collected and shared through the tool (subtheme 6).



i-Matter