Background:

Mobile applications can be useful in diabetes self-management. Knowing the needs and preferences of users is essential for these tools to provide effective support in this process.

Objective:

To learn about the experiences, identify needs, and explore the preferences of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus regarding mobile applications to support diabetes self-management.

Methodology:

Qualitative descriptive study with 12 participants selected using the snowball sampling technique. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the content analysis technique.

Results:

Six categories emerged from the analysis: functions and technical characteristics, informative content, self-determination, emotional management, health professional, and facilitating factors. The results suggest poor digital skills, need for access to information, and preference for multifunctional and interactive applications.

Conclusion:

Despite the limited use of health-related apps, people are interested and realize the benefit of using these tools to manage their diabetes.

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