Increasing accessibility to diabetes self-management education

Type 2
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Hello Everyone,

My name is Jo. I am a clinical exercise physiologist, diabetes educator and health education specialist. I am passionate about all things health, wellness, fitness and diabetes. However, I am particularly passionate about reducing barriers to accessing diabetes self-management education. In addition to the above, I’ve had the pleasure of presenting video chats on TuDiabetes on the topic of type 2 diabetes and exercise.

You are likely aware that there are 29 million people in the US living with type 2 diabetes. What you may not be aware of is that there is only 18,800 certified diabetes educators in the US. In order for all 29 million persons living with diabetes to receive diabetes self-management education every certified diabetes educator would need to see on average 4 persons with diabetes daily for one full year!

As such, I’d appreciate your help in a study I am conducting that is investigating the effectiveness of diabetes self-management education (DSME) delivered using avatar-based technology. I am seeking to reduce barriers to accessing DSME. I am specifically seeking adults with type 2 diabetes to evaluate the video, and answer survey questions. It will take about 60 minutes to complete. My goal is to contribute evaluation findings, and potentially an alternative video approach for the delivery of DSME to reach the millions who don’t have access to a certified diabetes educator and who have little or no knowledge of how to successfully manage living with type 2 diabetes.

Please know that the video is not comprehensive in nature. It simply represents a starting point for those newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or simply a refresher for others.

Participation in this survey is limited to the first 200 volunteers. After 200 volunteers complete the survey, the computer program will close the survey and send out three bar-coded gift certificates ($300, $200, or $100) for use on Amazon.com to three randomly chosen e-mail accounts without in any way linking your identity to the survey results.

I invite you to email, text, and tweet others who are living with type 2 diabetes to go to Free Online Survey Software by SurveyMonkey: Closed Survey to take a survey and rate a video for a chance to win a $300, $200 or $100 prize. THANK YOU!

In advance, thank you so very much for helping me increase awareness regarding the importance of to diabetes self-management education.

Best,

Jo

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Welcome to tud,.

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LOL–Bless your heart. It sounds like a worthwhile effort. However the only Technology I use is my original old meter from 2007 and this laptop so I can stay in touch with wonderful TuD. My pre-paid cell phone lives in a drawer unless I am travelling. I thought an avatar was just that picture or symbol one chooses to represent oneself…

I wish you all the best, though. We certainly have a lot of members much more tech-savvy than I am.

It is perhaps worth noting, however, that every one of us is engaged in some degree of successful self-management, low tech or high tech. And if it doesn’t feel successful yet, then we are here trying to learn to make it so. Diabetes is all about self-management, after all…

Best wishes…Judith in Portland…

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This survey has been approved by TuDiabetes Administration.

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Hi Jo! I remember your interview that you’ve included in your post here. I thought it was great, and enjoyed your positive attitude and enthusiasm. I’d like know what your Twitter nickname is.

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Hello Judith,

Thanks so much for responding to my invitation. Please know that I am pleased that you have found what works best for you as you successfully manage your diabetes. This is what it is all about!

I agree with you that all on this forum have a pretty good grasp of how to best manage their condition as it is certainly individualized, however, I also feel confident that all who are members of the forum can reflect upon when they first learned of their diagnosis. I am hoping that folks can tap into that period in their lives and be willing to share what kind of resources would have been helpful to them at that very moment so that an intervention that reaches those who don’t have access to diabetes self-management education can be developed so that that the transition into living with diabetes might occur in a manner that is effector for them.

Perhaps someone might feel that the wished something like this was around when they first received their diagnosis as it would have given him/her a framework from which to start learning.

Many, many people receive no education because of a host of factors, low literacy, poor communication between patient/doctor, social factors. How do we reach them?

Well, Judith, I could go on and on. As I mentioned to, reducing barriers to accessing diabetes self-management education is something that I am passionate about. In any case, I send you greetings from the Big Apple and wish you a most pleasant day today!

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Hey MarieB!

Good morning to you! Thanks for attending the videochat! I hope to do it again real soon. Here are my twitter handles.

https://www.twitter.com/fitbizlady

Best,

Jo

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I am totally with you on the need for accessible education. My heart aches for newbies who seem to me to be getting worse education than even I did a decade ago…

As some policies have changed at Kaiser over the years, I have been known to print up little flyers and stand across the street on public property handing them out…My Dona Quixote complex—hehe

And really, our youngsters love all these gadgets–it is absolutely a great way to get to them—and that is global!..I really do wish you all the best!..Blessings

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Hello Everyone,

Now if you haven’t had opportunity yet (I can really use your assistance) and you are living with type 2 diabetes), I could really use your help in evaluating a video that is part of my dissertation. The only people in the whole wide world who would be able to tell me whether it is effective as a way to reach people who don’t have access to diabetes self-management education are you all.

It’s really basic. I say this because this forum is well versed regarding diabetes self management. However, it is intended for people of low socioeconomic status and low literacy who don’t have access to diabetes self-management and deserve to be as healthy as they can be.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Oh! And can I say thank you. I learn a lot from you all. I can’t do my job unless I am able in some way to enter into your lives. Thank you for sharing your lives with me.

Best,

Jo