Seeking Participants: People with Prediabetes and Mild Diabetes – Characteristics, Management and Outcomes

Purpose

Diabetes is a global health challenge and can lead to serious health issues such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney damage, vision loss, and early death. In Canadian populations, diabetes is on the rise, especially type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when a person’s blood sugar level, measured by A1c, is 6.5% or higher.

With the goal of early detection and prevention, new categories have been identified/used to describe stages of impaired glucose regulation that fall between normal blood sugar levels and a full diagnosis of diabetes; these include prediabetes (A1c levels between 6.0% and 6.4%), and early-stage mild diabetes (A1c between 6.5% and 7.0%). These two groups are of interest because while they have been diagnosed with diabetes, their A1c levels are within recommended treatment targets. We want to learn more about the experiences of people with prediabetes and mild diabetes regarding their diagnosis and management of these conditions.

Details

Participating in this study will involve taking part in a 30–60-minute interview on Zoom. You will be asked about experiences and views with respect to your recent (within 5 years) diagnosis of prediabetes or mild diabetes. With your permission, interviews will be co-conducted with our study patient partners and a member of the research team. We are interested in hearing what you were told about your diagnosis (e.g., risks, options for treatment), your experience of living with the condition, your preferences and views on the treatment therapies (e.g., preference for changes to diet and exercise versus medication), and impact of ongoing testing.

Eligibility Requirement

We are currently recruiting patient participants who meet the following criteria:

• Individuals 18 years and older
• Currently living in Ontario or Alberta
• Diagnosed with prediabetes or mild diabetes within the past 5 years.

If you meet this description, we would love to hear about your experiences. Click here to read more about the study and indicate your interest in participating. 

About the author

Anshula Ambasta

Dr. Ambasta is a general internist with a research focus on healthcare quality and patient safety. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University of British Columbia. Her overall research program focuses on improving the value of healthcare services using evidence-based implementation strategies.