6th UK and Ireland Implementation Science Research Conference 2023
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PRESENter
Joe Low
presenter biography
Joe Low is a mixed methods researcher from an academic health care services research background. He started his career at the University of Southampton and completed his PhD in 2001, looking at the impact of stroke rehabilitation on informal carers. He then moved to University College London (UCL) in 2001 as a senior researcher and was responsible for running the following two research programmes: the provision of supportive care in non-malignant disease and the provision of psychological support in palliative care populations. He also worked as a General Advisor for the Research Design Service London (UCL), supporting health professionals and researchers with their grant and fellowship funding applications. Since November 2022, he joined the Health Innovation Network South London in November 2022 as part of the Insight Team.
background
Type 2 diabetes is a major health concern for UK African and Caribbean people. To tackle ethnic inequalities in diabetes healthcare access, a virtual culturally tailored diabetes self-management education programme (HEAL-D Online) was rolled out in South London for this community. We present findings from our evaluation assessing the acceptability and feasibility of implementing this new programme.
MEthod
Mixed methodology. Quantitative: Service activity data assessed service user engagement, acceptability and benefit (self-reported weight loss and diabetes-related emotional distress). Data was analysed using frequencies and percentages. Qualitative: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 service users and 7 service delivery staff to explore their perceptions of the feasibility and acceptability of HEAL-D Online, and data collected was analysed using Framework Methodology. Fidelity was measured through observations using a fidelity checklist.
results
Service activity data showed that initial uptake of HEAL-D Online was low but once patients attended their first session, there was a completion rate of 77%, demonstrating high adherence. A high fidelity was observed, and qualitative findings showed that staff and service users were satisfied with all aspects of course delivery. Both service activity and qualitative data indicated that attendees felt more confident in controlling their diet and managing their diabetes post-HEAL-D, with many reporting a reduction both in weight and diabetes-related psychological distress.
Conclusion
HEAL-D Online was well received by attendees with a high completion rate. It was successful in its goals of providing attendees with the knowledge and necessary skills to elicit behavioural change to support their diabetes management, ultimately leading to weight loss in some attendees. Challenges were identified around the identification, recruitment and referral of eligible patients into the programme and these need to be addressed for successful implementation of this programme on a wider scale.