Authors (including presenting author) :
Loo KM(1), Chan STK(2), Choi WY (1), Fong CS(2), Yeung THM (1), Lee KY(1)Ozaki(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Diabetes and Endocrine Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital (2) Health Resource Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital
Introduction :
Diabetes is a global health problem. The rising prevalence of diabetes resulted in an increase in the service demand in public sectors resulting in lengthened follow up intervals, shortening of medical consultation time, giving rise to a negative impact on patient metabolic control. Peer support is a new model for behavioural change that may help filling in this clinical care gap.
Objectives :
1 To enrich the knowledge and skills for the peer patients on diabetes management by peer support and multi-faceted diabetes educational programme
2. To increase the adherence of diabetes regimen in order to improve glycaemic control for peer patients
Methodology :
A one-year peer support and multi-faceted diabetes educational programme was organized by Diabetes and Endocrine Centre and the Health Resource Centre in the Prince of Wales Hospital. The Programme consists of peer support and activities to facilitate lifestyle modifications. Peer leaders acted as a role model to share own knowledge and experience to support their peers. Each leader was assigned with 3 to 4 peer patients; the leaders need to be committed to provide phone and /or WhatsApp messages to their peers through discussion, sharing of feelings and experience at least once to twice a month as well as helping out in recruitment activities. The multi-faceted diabetes educational programme consists of three 2.5-hr workshops, a one-day outing, dietary class, muscle resistance training exercise class and one Tai Chi class.
Result & Outcome :
11 peer leaders (4 male and 6 female with mean age 68.9) and 39 peer patients aged from 39 to 81 (15 male and 24 female, mean age 63) were recruited. After one-year intervention, there was a significant drop in HbA1c from pre-programme 8.71%±1.55 to post-programme 8.12%±1.39 (P=0.0387) in the peer patient group. The use of a peer support model with out-of-hospital diabetes programs that help to build up friendship among peers and peer leaders to promote strong partnerships and cultivate psychological support may promote positive behavioural changes to achieve treatment outcomes. This alternative approach to diabetes care serves as a potentially good model to support the rising numbers in a cost-effective manner.
