GPs at the Deep End North East North Cumbria

The barriers and facilitators of self-management activities in individuals with type 2 diabetes

A mixed method study into the barriers and facilitators of self-management activities in individuals with type 2 diabetes in a historically underrecognized group in North East England

This project plans to investigate self-management behaviours and determine factors which serve as enablers of, and barriers to achieving optimal T2DM self-management behaviours in low Socioeconomic status individuals residing in the North East of England. This work hopes to help guide the development or enhancement of intervention strategies to support self-management of T2DM in this population group.

Specifically the project hopes to answer the following questions:

  1. How effective at self-management do individuals with T2DM from low SES groups in the North East of England perceive themselves to be?
  2. What are the main barriers to self-management behaviours in individuals with T2DM from low SES groups in the North East of England?
  3. What facilitates self-management behaviours in individuals with T2DM from low SES groups in the North East of England?

To answer these questions this project will adopt an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. Individuals with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes will be asked to provide demographic information and to complete two validated questionnaires. These questionnaires will explore their perceived self-efficacy in relation to their management of T2DM and their practice of diabetes self-care activities associated with glycaemic control. Using the demographic information provided Individuals who are considered to have low SES will then be asked to attend a one-to-one meeting with the study dietitian to discuss their experiences of living and managing diabetes in more detail. Alongside interviews with individuals who have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, professionals who support these individuals will be invited to attend a one-to-one meeting to discuss their experiences of the barriers and facilitators this group experience.

Interviews with all participants will be audio recorded, transcribed, and analysed using a grounded theory approach. By merging the results of each arm of this project (questionnaire responses, interviews with individuals living with type 2 diabetes and interviews with professionals supporting them) it is hoped that a more comprehensive and context specific understanding of the current experience of living with low SES and T2DM in the North East of England will be established. This understanding will be used at later stages of this project to inform intervention development.

In return for their involvement individuals will be renumerated with a £25 voucher of their choice and will be offered the opportunity to be kept up to date with the findings of this project.

To take part please contact Keaton Mary Irvine [email protected]