Funding tool: Basic research projects
Project-ID: LS18-021
Project start: 01. November 2020
Project end: will follow
Runtime: 36 months / ongoing
Funding amount: € 299.300,00

Brief summary:

Background
Diabetes mellitus is one of the four priority non-communicable diseases worldwide. Globally, 425 million adults suffered from diabetes mellitus (7.2-11.3%) in 2017 and the International Diabetes Federation estimates an increase of 48% of the prevalence until 2045. Type 2 diabetes, which is the most common type of diabetes, is mainly seen in adults older than 40 years. Diabetes can lead to serious long-term complications as well as a lower quality of life, worse mental health and a reduced life expectancy. These health consequences produce significant health care costs. Due to the chronical character of diabetes, the disease requires continuous therapy, regular medical appointments and a good adherence of those suffering. Therefore, diabetes self-management education (DSME) plays a significant role to increase patient’s self-management capacity and improve diabetes therapy. Research indicates that these outcomes might be difficult to maintain and seem to decline soon after DSME ends. Consequently, effective strategies to preserve the positive effects of DSME are needed. Preliminary results show that peer support, which means support from a person who has experiential knowledge of a specific behaviour or stressor and similar characteristics as the target population, is associated with better outcomes in terms of HbA1c, cardiovascular disease risk factors or self-efficacy at lower cost compared to standard therapy. Although those results are promising, research on peer support in diabetes care is still in its infancy and the influence of various factors is unclear. Peer support instant messaging services (IMS) approaches have significant potential for diabetes management because support can be provided easily and prompt, is inexpensive and needs less effort to attend compared to standard therapy. Furthermore, almost half of the 40-69 year old age group, which is mostly affected by the onset of type 2 diabetes, use IMS.

Aim
The major objective of the project is to analyse the impact of a peer supported IMS intervention in addition to a standard diabetes therapy on the glycaemic control of type 2 diabetic patients.

Methods
A total of 198 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus, older than 40 years, and insured by the Insurance Company for Railways and Mining will be included and randomly assigned to intervention or control group. Both groups will receive standard therapy, but the intervention group will use the peer support IMS tool, additionally. The duration of the intervention will last for seven months, followed by an follow-up of seven months. Biochemical, behavioural and psychosocial parameters will be measured before, in the middle, and after the intervention as well as after the follow-up.

Keywords:
medicine, nutritional sciences, dietetics, media economics, psychology, sociology