Support for self-help: Instant messaging service for better blood glucose control in type II diabetics?
Diabetes is one of the most common non-communicable diseases. The treatment of diabetes as well as associated long-term complications cause enormous costs for health care systems worldwide. Those affected are highly self-responsible for a good disease management. Social support improves self-management behaviour.
The DiabPeerS study is supported by the Gesellschaft für Forschungsförderung NÖ and the study protocol was recently published in the journal "BMC Trials" (https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06202-2). Effects of a peer-supported instant messaging service intervention on the blood glucose control of type 2 diabetics are to be investigated. The KL is involved with Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Stefan Stieger from the Department of Psychological Methodology and Prim. Assoc.-Prof. Dr. Martin Wiesholzer from the Department of Internal Medicine at University Hospital St. Pölten.
About 200 patients from all over Lower Austria will be included in the prospective, randomised clinical trial. While the control group will receive a standard diabetes therapy for 14 months, the intervention group will be additionally accompanied by a trained "peer" with an instant messaging service, similar to WhatsApp, for the first 7 months. In the second part of the study, the instant messaging service can still be used in the intervention group, but there is no longer any guidance from the research team. The study aims to clarify whether an instant messaging service used in addition to antidiabetic therapy and guided by affected others can improve disease-specific parameters for longer than the same therapy without peer support.
Originalpublication:Patients interested in participating find more details here: DiabPeerS (Update 1/2022) - Wir sind DiabetesHÖLD, E., GRÜBLBAUER, J., WIESHOLZER, M., WEWERKA-KREIMEL, D., STIEGER, S., KUSCHEI, W., KISSER, P., GÜTZER, E., HEMETEK, U., EBNER-ZARL, A. & PRIPFL, J. 2022. Improving glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus through a peer support instant messaging service intervention (DiabPeerS): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 23, 308.
