Select a chronic disease and assess, plan, evaluate, and develop a health promotion program using technological tools, such as apps, theory, concepts, and readings

Diabetes is a chronic disease that has seen an alarming increase in the last few years. According to the American Diabetes Association, 30.3 million people have diabetes and 84.1 million people have prediabetes in the United States (American Diabetes Association, 2018). As such, it is of utmost importance to create effective health promotion programs for those with diabetes and those at risk for developing diabetes. The use of technological tools can be a valuable asset when creating these programs as they provide convenient access to educational materials, tracking capabilities, and communication with other individuals living with or at risk for developing diabetes.

Health promotion programs should begin by assessing the needs of individuals who are currently living with or at risk for developing diabetes through collecting data on their levels of knowledge about the disease and their current behaviors regarding nutrition, physical activity, and self-monitoring practices (Fisher & Estabrooks, 2008). This information can then be used to create individualized plans that focus on increasing knowledge level surrounding the condition while also addressing any negative behaviors regarding diet/physical activity/self-monitoring that may need improvement (Burchardt et al., 2017). Technology can facilitate this process by allowing users to answer questions online on topics like lifestyle habits related to diet/exercise or current blood sugar monitoring practices before meeting with a healthcare provider (Shah et al., 2020). These assessments are quick and easy yet still provide accurate data which will enable healthcare providers to develop more tailored care plans based on each individual’s needs.