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Top1. Introduction
Recently, diabetes incidence has increased internationally due to socio-economic advancements and improved living standards (Lin et al., 2020). The World Health Organization reports 800 million diabetics globally, up from 200 million 20 years ago (World Health Organization, 2023). Furthermore, increasing numbers of children aged 3–7 have the condition. For instance, Li et al.'s (2022) research in China found that the prevalence of diabetes among children aged 3–7 is 1.93 per 100,000 people. Without intervention, one diabetic dies every 10 seconds worldwide (Zimmet et al., 2014). Diabetes will reach 828 million by 2025, according to Bener & Al-Hamaq (2016). Since 2000, the number of children with type 1 diabetes has tripled. The average yearly rise in the incidence rate of children under 7 is 5–34%, indicating a tendency toward diabetes at a younger age (Patterson et al., 2014).
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic condition requiring lifetime management, often beginning in childhood (Simmons, 2015). Children with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) encounter a persistent challenge in diabetes self-management, which encompasses understanding the disease fundamentals, meticulously monitoring blood glucose levels, complying with insulin therapy, engaging in problem-solving and decision-making, modifying dietary habits, participating in physical activity, and fostering mental resilience (Xie et al., 2020). The Chinese diabetic Association delineates these seven goal behaviors as the 7 aspects of diabetic self-management (CDA7) (Xie et al., 2020). The intricacy of these responsibilities may be daunting for children with Type 1 Diabetes, particularly when confronted with the additional responsibility of sustaining healthcare throughout time (Streisand & Monaghan, 2014). Children who have difficulty comprehending their medical state or adhering to their treatment regimen may find it even more challenging (Rankin et al., 2018).
Limited diabetes education, cultural misconceptions, and insufficient family support hinder T1D self-management in children (Lindsay et al., 2011; Ahola & Groop, 2013). Systemic issues, including underfunded healthcare programs, specialist shortages, and restricted access to affordable insulin and devices like CGMs, exacerbate the problem (Lucas, 2015; Kehlenbrink et al., 2023). Cultural stigmas, dietary conflicts, and inadequate national awareness further complicate management efforts (Hewa, 2019; Ergun-Longmire et al., 2021). Technological underuse, data integration challenges, and insufficient professional training highlight gaps in care, while low investment in affordable diabetes research limits solutions (Al-Worafi, 2024). Addressing these barriers requires improving education, fostering cultural sensitivity, enhancing systemic healthcare support, and developing accessible therapies to empower T1D children and their families.
Improving T1D self-management in children requires addressing these complex concerns at these levels. Thus, T1D children require ways to receive diabetic self-management information and control their diabetes via interventions.
Recent technological advances have fueled the development of multimedia technology-based interventions (MTBIs), which use a combination of educational tools, digital platforms, and interactive content to support diabetes self-management (DSM) (Alaslawi et al., 2022). The goal of MTBIs is to engage children in DSM through digital platforms such as mobile apps, online educational videos, interactive games, virtual coaches, and telemedicine. These tools not only improve diabetes knowledge but also promote treatment adherence, develop self-efficacy, and reduce diabetes healthcare-related distress. The study found that there is a lack of articles that categorize and summarize trends in the use of multimedia technology for implementing interventions in the self-management of T1D children. There is also a lack of articles that look at the problems and difficulties of using or implementing interventions with current technologies in the self-management of T1D children, as well as the future trends.