Glasgow university researchers are looking for participants with learning disabilities and type 2 diabetes to take part in a study to explore the use of education programmes in helping them manage their condition.

Those with type 2 diabetes have poorer outcomes including delayed diagnosis, poor management of symptoms, more severe complications, and unnecessary hospitalisations.

Type 2 diabetes is 2-3 times more prevalent in people with learning disabilities, though researchers say diabetes education programmes – recommended and routinely available to the general public – are not being offered to people with learning disabilities.

In a bid to support adults in managing their conditions, the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory (SLDO) is inviting adults with type 2 diabetes based in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area to engage in a new study ‘My Diabetes and Me’, to run from the middle of May to June this year.

Researchers from Ulster University, University of Leicester and the University of Glasgow are looking to recruit 450 adults with learning disabilities living with type 2 Diabetes across Northern Ireland, England and Scotland to take part.

They are also working with adults with learning disabilities who have type 2 Diabetes, their family carers, and community learning disability teams across the three countries.

Lead researcher from the University of Glasgow Dr Maria Truesdale said she hopes the education programmes will help people with learning disabilities better self-manage their diabetes: 

“The study overall is due to finish June 2025, however, I'd imagine that we would be presenting interim findings prior to that at conferences.

“It’s hoped that carers attending education sessions will also have an improved knowledge and understanding of diabetes and how best to support the person they care for. The programme is also an opportunity to meet other adults with learning disabilities and type 2 diabetes, hear about their experiences of living with the condition ,and for peer support too.

“If the education programme is proven to be clinically and cost effective in improving health outcomes for adults with learning disabilities and type 2 diabetes, compared to treatment as usual, it’s hoped that the programme will be adopted by the NHS and rolled out across the UK.”.

DESMOND-ID is a group self-management diabetes education program being delivered across the UK, offered to adults with type 2 diabetes in the general population.

Structured diabetes education can help improve lifestyle behaviours, lower blood glucose levels and avoid long-term complications.  Researchers hope the study will stimulate discussion and change of direction to allow people with learning disabilities better access to this free at point of delivery programme.

A small study with 39 adults with learning disabilities has now completed, which shows the diabetes education programme can be effectively delivered and is acceptable to the service users and their carer, partner or advocate

The researchers found that they can successfully identify and recruit adults with learning disabilities into the study, obtain their consent, obtain blood samples, administer questionnaires, and randomise the adults to either the diabetes programme or usual care.

They also found that those healthcare professionals who received the diabetes training were able to successfully deliver the seven-week education programme in their local area and that it may be able to lower average blood glucose levels in participants.

Those interested in taking part in the study should  get in touch with Dr Maria Truesdale via email maria.truesdale@glasgow.ac.uk or call 07933163937.

 

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