Identifying the unmet needs of individuals with Type 2 diabetes: an international web-based survey

Aim: To identify and understand the main unmet needs of individuals with Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Materials & methods: An online survey was conducted in Brazil, China and Russia of individuals with recently diagnosed T2D. Results: The survey, involving 300 individuals with T2D, identified a need for more information regarding food/diet and for increased awareness of T2D symptoms. While most participants (94%) had experienced symptoms prior to their diagnosis, only 55% of symptomatic individuals sought medical attention. Conclusion: Novel strategies to increase awareness of diabetes should be developed and tested, and may enable earlier diagnosis and improve patients' quality of life.publishersversionpublishe

Adoption of the ADA/EASD guidelines in 10 Eastern and Southern European countries: Physician survey and good clinical practice recommendations from an international expert panel

Aims: Evidence from cardiovascular outcomes trials (CVOTs) of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors was reflected in the most recent guidelines from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). The aim of the present study was to assess the adoption of the ADA/EASD guidelines in a convenience sample of physicians from Eastern and Southern Europe, the barriers to the implementation of these guidelines and the measures needed to facilitate their implementation. Methods: Attendees at two international diabetes conferences could volunteer to respond to a fully anonymous survey. Responses were analysed descriptively and a panel of experts from around the region was consulted to interpret the survey results. Results: Responses (n = 96) from 10 countries were analysed. Most participants (63.4%) considered the ADA/EASD guidelines fundamental to their practice. All respondents saw the value of the CVOT-based ADA/EASD recommendations and 77-80% generally implemented them. Measures suggested to improve adherence to the ADA/EASD guidelines included aligning reimbursement policy with the guidelines (54.4%), publishing guidelines in a simple and concise form (42.4%) and translating guidelines into local languages (33.3%). Conclusions: Aligning reimbursement with recent evidence and providing short summaries of the ADA/EASD guidelines in local languages could facilitate physician adherence.(c) 2020 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Possibilities and challenges of a large international benchmarking in pediatric diabetology-The SWEET experience

Aim: Despite the existence of evidence-based guidelines for the care of children with diabetes, widespread gaps in knowledge, attitude, and practice remain. The purpose of this paper is to present a review of benchmarking practices and results of this process within SWEET, moreover focusing on current challenges and future directions. Methods: Biannually, members electronically transfer de-identified clinic data for 37 parameters to the SWEET database. Each center receives benchmarking and data validation reports. Results: In 2015, 48 centers have contributed data for 20 165 unique patients (51.6% male). After exclusion for missing data 19 131 patients remain for further analysis. The median age is 14.2 years, with a median diabetes duration 4.8 years; 96.0% of patients have type 1, 1.1% type 2, and 2.9% other diabetes types. Data completeness has increased over time. In 2015, median HbA1c of all patients’ (diabetes type 1) medians was 7.8% (61.7 mmol/mol) with 39.1%, 41.4%, and 19.4% of patients having HbA1c < 7.5% (58 mmol/mol), 7.5%-9% (58-75 mmol/mol) and >9% (75 mmol/mol), respectively. Although HbA1c has been stable over time [7.7%-7.8% (60.7-61.7 mmol/mol)], there remains wide variation between centers. Fourteen centers achieve a median HbA1c < 7.5% (58 mmol/mol). Conclusions: Our vision is that the participation in SWEET is encouraging members to deliver increasingly accurate and complete data. Dissemination of results and prospective projects serve as further motivation to improve data reporting. Comparing processes and outcomes will help members identify weaknesses and introduce innovative solutions, resulting in improved and more uniform care for patients with diabetes