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Greetings!
Welcome to another edition of Yada Yada! This month there's a bit of a theme: lots of new information and research about effective care for people with Type 1. We look at a study on peer-to-peer healthcare; an initiative educating health professionals about what it's really like to live with Type 1; and the release of new guidelines on managing Type 1.
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What do we want our health professionals to better understand about Type 1? Your results are in!
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 Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey - the results have been collated, and you can read the full report on the T1DN website. 278 people gave us their views, and the information is illuminating. When asked about health professionals' general understanding of T1, endocrinologists were rated good or excellent by 90% of respondents, diabetes educators by 75%, and GPs by 46%. When asked about their health professionals' understanding of the day-to-day challenges of living with T1, the scores dropped dramatically: endos were rated good or excellent by only 61% of people, diabetes educators by 64% and GPs by 27%. Some key themes that emerged from the comments sections: - T1 is complex, unpredictable, and every day is different
- It's 24/7 - there's no break from it
- Health professionals need to treat each patient as an individual
- Please listen!
- Please understand the difference between T1 and T2
Thanks again for all your input. We're using the data to create an online learning module for health professionals about the experience of living with Type 1. We'll keep you posted on the progress of the module so that you can check it out when it's ready to launch! Click here to see the full survey results.
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******* Government Sponsored Announcement*******
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How do young adults with Type 1 Diabetes manage their diabetes?
Are you a young adult with Type 1 Diabetes?
The National Health and Medical Research Council Patient Safety Program and the University of NSW are conducting a survey and focus groups for people with Type 1 Diabetes and we need you to help us.
There is very little research asking young adults with Type 1 Diabetes (T1DM) about how they manage their diabetes.
We are seeking to survey and/or interview people aged between 18 and 35 years who have Type 1 Diabetes. The information collected may help improve health services for young adults with Type 1 Diabetes.
If you would like to complete an online survey or be a participant in a focus group with other young adults with T1DM, please contact Dr Janice Wiley at:
Centre for Clinical Governance Research, University of NSW
Kensington NSW 2052
Phone: 02 9385 8503
Email: j.wiley@unsw.edu.au
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| The first ever guidelines for managing Type 1 Diabetes are almost here! |
 We were asked to review the draft guidelines for managing Type 1
Diabetes and provide comments.
This is huge news, as there are currently no guidelines in Australia for managing Type 1 Diabetes in adults. So last week we pulled out all the stops and ploughed through each of the 250 pages. It was quite an experience! We submitted 17 pages of comments and supportive research evidence.
We also stressed that the main messages in the guidelines should be shared directly with people with Type 1 - by using appropriate communication mediums and in partnership with the relevant organisations, like us!
The final guidelines are due for release in April 2011. If anyone would like a copy of our response, please email colleen@d1.org.au.
Want to comment? Post your thoughts on the Reality Check online discussion forum.
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| A wonderfully poignant blog post about a year with D |
 We'd like to share a great post by one of our members, Georgie Claire, has written about her first diabetes anniversary.
She describes very powerfully, and with a sense of humour, her trials and tribulations of living with D as a teenager - for example, what it's like to study, travel, party with friends, and deal with people constantly asking, Can you eat that?
The are many gems in Georgie's article that if we were to list them all here, it'd just be a rewrite of her post - albeit not as good as hers! To get the true flavour of Georgie's experience, go to the Reality Check forum - you can comment there too.
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| Do you connect with others online? |
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 Did you know that what we do on Reality Check is sometimes called "peer-to-peer healthcare"?
A recent report by the Pew Research Centre found that people not only used the internet for information, but also to connect with people for support and to share knowledge - this is what the report calls "peer-to-peer healthcare". While this is not a new phenomenon, the people at Pew were very curious to find out how many people use the internet in this way. They did a national survey of 3,001 adults in the US, and found that one in four internet users living with a chronic disease, such as diabetes, go online to find others with similar health conditions. You can read the full report here.
This report is proof that people find online communities valuable to their wellbeing - but as users of the Reality Check forum, we already know that! So go forth and continue to share on our online forum - because sharing is caring.
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************Sponsored Announcement************ |
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************Sponsored Announcement************
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Innovative designs to help improve life with diabetes
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 Have you heard about the Diabetes Mine Design competition? It is a great contest that encourages organisations to come up with innovative designs of diabetes technology.
So, did anyone check out last year's winners, and what they came up with? One in particular caught our eye: Zero. It is a "glucoband" - looks like a bracelet - that combines micro-sized glucose monitors with insulin pumps. The whole idea is that this bracelet can do everything, so there will be "zero" need for accessories, such as lancets, alcohol swabs, and chemical strips. If you'd like to know more about this exciting concept, check out the designer's YouTube video. Since no Aussies applied last year, it would be nice to see some in this year's competition, which is now accepting submissions. Do you know anyone who should apply? Also, we'll let you know when viewing opens for designs submitted this year - and you can vote for the design you like best!
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Will this improve diabetes care in hospitals?
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 We hear lots of stories about people with diabetes having terrible experiences in hospitals.
So anything that improves hospital care is welcomed, like this new study that showed something as simple an insulin chart may help. An insulin chart is used in some hospitals. Doctors use it to prescribe the amount of insulin a patient needs, and to record how much is actually given. The study, in which 205 patient charts were reviewed, found that insulin charts reduced the number of hypos, and improved overall glycaemic control, despite an increase in the use of supplemental insulin. You can read the article here. So what do you think - will this help to improve diabetes care in hospitals? Or do you have a hairy hospital experience that you'd like to share? Jump across to our online forum...
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| ***************Sponsored Announcement****************** | |
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| Want to catch up with some other Type 1-ers? |
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These informal meets are the perfect way to meet others in your area who have Type 1. Organised by everyday people, these unofficial get-togethers are a fun and relaxed way to get to talk to people who really understand!
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Quick shots
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Hot topics on the Reality Check online forum include:
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I hope you enjoyed this edition of Yada Yada. As usual, if you have any suggestions, just reply to this email.
All the best!
From everyone at
The Type 1 Diabetes Network
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