Discovery

DIGGING DEEPER 

It’s time to start understanding the problem. In this part of the Design Process I am discovering more about the problems that teenage diabetics have to go through everyday. 

What I Know:

I know that being a teenager is very hard, adding a huge life or death responsibility makes it so much harder. With a constant stream of hormones, the teenager bodies blood sugar fluctuates more often than adults. If they so not take care of their bodies, diabetics have very high health risks that will affect them in adulthood. According to the National Diabetes Education Program having “high blood glucose can harm blood vessels and cause heart attacks or strokes. It can also damage organs in the body and cause blindness, kidney failure, loss of toes or feet, gum problems, or loss of teeth”.   

Diabetic Medical Kit. (Left) Test Strips (Middle) Meter (Right) Needle to Insert Insulin

I also noticed that some people treat diabetes like a joke. They make fat jokes saying, “I just ate so much candy that I’ll get diabetes”. I think there is a social issue that needs to be addressed as well as a medical issue.  

I have also seen my sister’s diabetic kit that carries her test strips, meter, and finger lancet.  Then she also carries glucose tabs, giant smarties, in her bag that she eats when her blood sugar gets low. Finally, she has her pump that administers her insulin into her body. These three items are very important to all diabetics, old and young. 

What I Don't Know:

I do not know about the physical effects of type 1 diabetes.  I want to know if it makes them more tired, irritable and if it effects their sleep, mood, or other factors. Is it annoying to carry around a kit everywhere? Is it difficult getting supplies from doctors? I know that there are health risks but what are the long term effects on the body? Do you think they are doing enough research for a cure? Should there be more social awareness for type 1?  

Research 

Now I will start to identify sources of inspiration for research.  My sister will be a primary source for teenagers but I would also like to talk to doctors and nurses to see what they think about the disease. I could also see if I could go to a support group session or go to Joslin Diabetes Center. They could give me more scientific information then personal information. I could also make a trip to the local doctors office or pharmacy for more information.  

Next Step 

Over the next few weeks I will be interviewing and visiting several locations to gather research for my topic.  I plan on interviewing my sister and two other teenagers with type 1. I then plan on emailing one of the doctors at Joslin Diabetes Center and ask a few quick medical questions in order to get a doctors opinion.  Then I plan on visiting the local CVS and RiteAid stores to examine the supplies for diabetics like glucose tablets and medical supplies. The last place I plan on visiting is the doctors office to ask the nurse a few questions.  I also want to check out the atmosphere of the waiting room and where the patients go in the examination rooms.