Do governments give diabetes the attention it deserves?

Do governments give diabetes the attention it deserves

Psychological barriers to insulin use among Australians with type 2 diabetes and clinical strategies to reduce them

Psychological barriers to insulin use among Australians with type 2 diabetes and clinical strategies to reduce the

Diabetes: Stigma, blame and shame

Diabetes: Stigma, blame and sham

Starting Insulin: supporting informed decision making among adults with type 2 diabetes

Starting Insulin: supporting informed decision making among adults with type 2 diabete

Constructive weight management discussions: Five considerations to guide consultations with adults with type 2 diabetes

Weight management is an important aspect of type 2 diabetes management; however, for many people with type 2 diabetes, discussions about weight are unwanted, unhelpful and/or stigmatising, making them counterproductive and potentially leading to disengagement from healthcare. In turn, many healthcare professionals avoid discussing weight owing to feelings of pessimism, hopelessness and frustration. In this commentary, the authors draw upon findings from the Your Story: Type 2 Diabetes and Weight Management study to propose five considerations to guide constructive weight management discussions with adults with type 2 diabetes

Use and Preferences of Health Apps among Women and Healthcare Professionals Regarding GDM Postpartum Care Related to Diet, Physical Activity, and Weight Management: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a common medical complication of pregnancy, which is associated with increased risk of future diabetes. mHealth (mobile health, in this paper applications abbreviated to apps) can facilitate health modifications to decrease future risks. This study aims to understand mHealth app use and preferences among women with past GDM and healthcare professionals (HCP) in Australia. An explorative cross-sectional online survey was disseminated via social media, a national diabetes registry, and professional networks. Descriptive analyses were conducted on valid responses (women with prior GDM: n = 1475; HCP: n = 75). One third (33%) of women with prior GDM have used health apps, and a further 80% of non-app users were open to using a health app if recommended by their HCP. Over half (53%) of HCPs supported health information delivery via mHealth, although only 14% had recommended a health app to women post-GDM, and lack of knowledge about mHealth apps was common. Health app users reported that they preferred tracking features, while non-users desired credible health and dietary information and plans. Expanding mHealth app use could facilitate healthy behaviours, but endorsement by HCPs is important to women and is still currently lacking

Diabetes MILES-2 2016 Survey Report

Diabetes MILES-2 2016 Survey Repor

Diabetes MILES - Australia (Management and Impact for Long-Term Empowerment and Success) : methods and sample characteristics of a national survey of the psychological aspects of living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in Australian adults

Background Successful management of diabetes requires attention to the behavioural, psychological and social aspects of this progressive condition. The Diabetes MILES (Management and Impact for Long-term Empowerment and Success) Study is an international collaborative. Diabetes MILES-Australia, the first Diabetes MILES initiative to be undertaken, was a national survey of adults living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in Australia. The aim of this study was to gather data that will provide insights into how Australians manage their diabetes, the support they receive and the impact of diabetes on their lives, as well as to use the data to validate new diabetes outcome measures.Methods The survey was designed to include a core set of self-report measures, as well as modules specific to diabetes type or management regimens. Other measures or items were included in only half of the surveys. Cognitive debriefing interviews with 20 participants ensured the survey content was relevant and easily understood. In July 2011, the survey was posted to 15,000 adults (aged 18-70 years) with type 1 or type 2 diabetes selected randomly from the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) database. An online version of the survey was advertised nationally. A total of 3,338 eligible Australians took part; most (70.4%) completed the postal survey. Respondents of both diabetes types and genders, and of all ages, were adequately represented in both the postal and online survey sub-samples. More people with type 2 diabetes than type 1 diabetes took part in Diabetes MILES-Australia (58.8% versus 41.2%). Most respondents spoke English as their main language, were married/in a de facto relationship, had at least a high school education, were occupied in paid work, had an annual household income > $AUS40,000, and lived in metropolitan areas.Discussion A potential limitation of the study is the under-representation of respondents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin). Diabetes MILES-Australia represents a major achievement in the study of diabetes in Australia, where for the first time, the focus is on psychosocial and behavioural aspects of this condition at a national level. <br

Comparison of the Acceptability and Psychometric Properties of Scales Assessing the Impact of Type 1 Diabetes on Quality of Life: Results of the Your SAY: QoL Study

Aims: To compare the acceptability, reliability and validity of five contemporary diabetes-specific quality of life (QoL) scales. Methods: Adults with type 1 diabetes in the UK (N=1139) and Australia (N=439) completed a cross-sectional, online survey including: ADDQoL, DCP, DIDP, DSQoLS and QoL-Q diabetes (scales randomised to control for order effects). Participants rated each scale for clarity, relevance, ease of completion, length, and comprehensiveness. Scales were compared in terms of acceptability, response patterns, structure, reliability and validity. To assess cross-country reproducibility, analyses conducted on the UK sample were replicated in the Australian sample. Results: Findings (summarized in Table 1) were largely consistent between countries. The strongest scale overall was the DIDP, a brief (7-item), neutrally-worded scale with balanced response options. ADDQoL and QoL-Q diabetes also performed well across most criteria. Conclusions: This is the first empirical study to compare the user acceptability and psychometric properties of five contemporary diabetes-specific QoL scales. These findings may inform assessment of diabetes-specific QoL in routine care and clinical trials, but should be considered in the context of published evidence of the development and responsiveness of the scales. Disclosure J. Speight: Research Support; Self; AstraZeneca, Medtronic, Sanofi. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S, Roche Diabetes Care. E. Holmes-Truscott: Research Support; Self; Sanofi. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Novo Nordisk Inc. C. Hendrieckx: None. E. Coates: None. S.R. Heller: Advisory Panel; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi-Aventis, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Zealand Pharma A/S. Consultant; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk A/S. D. Cooke: None. Funding UK National Institute for Health Research (RP-PG-0514-20013 to S.R.H.

Diabetes MILES - Australia (Management and Impact for Long-Term Empowerment and Success) : methods and sample characteristics of a national survey of the psychological aspects of living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in Australian adults

Background Successful management of diabetes requires attention to the behavioural, psychological and social aspects of this progressive condition. The Diabetes MILES (Management and Impact for Long-term Empowerment and Success) Study is an international collaborative. Diabetes MILES-Australia, the first Diabetes MILES initiative to be undertaken, was a national survey of adults living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in Australia. The aim of this study was to gather data that will provide insights into how Australians manage their diabetes, the support they receive and the impact of diabetes on their lives, as well as to use the data to validate new diabetes outcome measures.Methods The survey was designed to include a core set of self-report measures, as well as modules specific to diabetes type or management regimens. Other measures or items were included in only half of the surveys. Cognitive debriefing interviews with 20 participants ensured the survey content was relevant and easily understood. In July 2011, the survey was posted to 15,000 adults (aged 18-70 years) with type 1 or type 2 diabetes selected randomly from the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) database. An online version of the survey was advertised nationally. A total of 3,338 eligible Australians took part; most (70.4%) completed the postal survey. Respondents of both diabetes types and genders, and of all ages, were adequately represented in both the postal and online survey sub-samples. More people with type 2 diabetes than type 1 diabetes took part in Diabetes MILES-Australia (58.8% versus 41.2%). Most respondents spoke English as their main language, were married/in a de facto relationship, had at least a high school education, were occupied in paid work, had an annual household income > $AUS40,000, and lived in metropolitan areas.Discussion A potential limitation of the study is the under-representation of respondents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin). Diabetes MILES-Australia represents a major achievement in the study of diabetes in Australia, where for the first time, the focus is on psychosocial and behavioural aspects of this condition at a national level. <br