MyDESMOND increases confidence and reduces diabetes related stress

MyDESMOND increases confidence and reduces diabetes related stress, resolving fears around managing diabetes and supporting the NHS Long Term Plan with the application of technology and digital solutions in the future of diabetes treatment.

MyDESMOND’s participants have confirmed that they have seen an increase in confidence and a reduction in diabetes related stress whilst using the programme:

53% of users experienced a reduction in diabetes related stress 

62% of users experienced an increase in confidence to self-manage

The COVID-19 pandemic has put face to face diabetes self-management programmes on hold due to lockdown restrictions. This has led to an increase in the number of digitally accessed programmes available to support people with type 2 diabetes, including MyDESMOND, X-PERT and Changing Health to name a few.

In a recent Letter published in Diabetic Medicine, a team from the Leicester Diabetes Centre highlighted the importance of an implemented digital self-management programme, MyDESMOND, in supporting people with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Letter is based on a survey conducted in 2020, which showed that the digital programme was widely used across the UK, with improvements reported in self-management activities, including food choices, physical activity and stress management.

Overall, the stress and demands of living with type 2 diabetes can be challenging and overwhelming. These emotions can lead to high levels of diabetes-related distress and low levels of self-efficacy, which can ultimately act as a barrier to optimal diabetes self -management and self-care.  With this in mind, the team at the Leicester Diabetes Centre wanted to explore the impact of MyDESMOND on two key psychological outcomes, diabetes-related distress and diabetes management self-efficacy.

As part of the evaluation, two widely used and validated questionnaires were completed by MyDESMOND users; the PAID-5 questionnaire to measure diabetes-related distress and the DMSES(1) questionnaire to measure self-efficacy.

The evaluation took place between October 2019 and October 2020, with over 3,200 MyDESMOND users completing baseline and follow-up data. Both PAID-5 and DMSES(1) samples of users were ethnically diverse. 

The preliminary findings strengthen the argument that digital programmes on diabetes care can improve, not only the medical and behavioural aspects of type 2 diabetes management, but the psychological ones as well. 

With barriers existing for users, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, the delivery of face-to-face diabetes self-management education and support programmes, is becoming even more challenging. Therefore, it is important to ensure that evidence-based digital self-management programmes are considered for the NHS digital transformation plan to enhance self-management support and promote better type 2 diabetes care.

(1) Sturt J, Hearnshaw H, Wakelin M. Validity and reliability of the DMSES UK: a measure of self-efficacy for type 2 diabetes self-management. Prim Health Care Res Dev. 2010;11(4):374-381.

The above has been extracted from the Letter; Improved diabetes-related distress and self-efficacy outcomes in a self-management digital programme for people with type 2 diabetes, MyDESMOND. 

To access the Letter and preliminary findings please click here to go to Diabetic Medicine. 

To download a PDF version of the letter, please click here.

For more information on MyDESMOND, please visit their website: www.mydesmond.com