Evaluating the Reach of HelloType1- A Digital Innovative Educational Platform in Regional Languages for Diabetes Education in Southeast Asia (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Action4Diabetes (A4D), a non-profit organisation collaborating with local healthcare professionals across Southeast Asia (SEA), developed HelloType1 a digital educational platform for Type 1 diabetes (T1D) in regional languages. Launched sequentially in Cambodia (2021), Vietnam (2022), Thailand (2022), and Malaysia (2023) through Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), the digital platform aimed to improve diabetes awareness, education, and access to credible local-language resources. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the usability, reach and online engagement of HelloType1 from 2021 to 2024. METHODS Website traffic data from Google Analytics (GA4) and Facebook metrics were analysed to assess user growth, traffic sources, and engagement trends across countries. RESULTS Total users increased by 645% between 2021 and 2022 and a further 31% between 2022 and 2023. By 2024, 78% of visits originated from search engines, 13% from social media, and 9% from direct access. Pageviews rose from 4,644 (2021) to 82,689 (2024). Facebook followers grew from 940 to 4,553, with engagement rates increasing from 8% (2022) to 29% (2024). Cambodia achieved the highest reach, while Vietnam showed strong engagement among younger female caregivers. CONCLUSIONS HelloType1 demonstrates a scalable, low-cost digital model for delivering culturally adapted T1D education in resource-limited SEA settings. CLINICALTRIAL NA