Information technology (IT) has the potential to improve the quality, safety and efficacy of diabetes management, especially with the advent of the National Broadband Network (NBN) and telehealth.  However, the success of IT in improving outcomes is determined by patient acceptance of technology.  International researchers have reported many patient-specific barriers to IT utilisation, including password, confidentiality and access issues¹ .  The access to and attitudes toward IT in the Australian diabetes community is currently unknown. To assess this, a 20 question self-administered survey instrument was distributed to people attending selected diabetes ambulatory clinics in Sydney (urban), Dubbo and Griffith (rural) between February and May 2012.

 299 responses were obtained. 64% of respondents resided in Sydney while 25% in regional areas (11% undisclosed).  There was a large representation of older age groups (68% were >50 years) and 63% of respondents had type 2 diabetes. There was a clear trend of decreasing IT access with increasing age: 96% of the <30 age group reported home computer access compared to 43% in the >70 age group. A similar trend was observed in overall comfort levels of using IT, and this correlated well with comfort in integrating IT into diabetes care: 91% of the <30 age group reported being comfortable/very comfortable, but this dropped to 35% in the >70 age group. Interestingly, the comfort in integrating video consults into diabetes care was roughly half that of email across all age groups, which has implications for delivery of telehealth. In general, attitudes in type 1 diabetes were similar to the responses in the younger age groups.

 Access to technology in the diabetes community in both metropolitan and regional NSW is good.  Patient attitude toward increased integration of IT into diabetes management is generally favourable, particularly in the younger age groups.  Development and pilot study of a targeted IT enhanced clinic should be considered.