Tackling diabetes as a team: co-designing healthcare interventions to engage couples living with type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Aims: Couples living with Type 1 diabetes: co-designing interventions to support them.

Methods: This is a qualitative study comprising two phases. Phase I represents the exploratory phase, consisting of semi-structured interviews with persons with Type 1 diabetes (N = 16) and partners (N = 6). In the second phase, co-design principles guided workshops with healthcare professionals, persons with Type 1 diabetes, and partners (N = 7) to facilitate discussion of the key themes identified and solutions to engage couples living with Type 1 diabetes in diabetes care.

Result: The key themes identified from phase I as priorities to target in future interventions were: (i) Emotional impact of diabetes and (ii) Partners' involvement. Priority (i) captures the impact the emotional burden of diabetes management produces within couples' relationship. Priority (ii) captures the request from partners to be more involved in diabetes management. Characteristics of the interventions suggested during the co-design phase II focused on engaging patients and partners via a counseling point in healthcare settings and tailored help for couples' psychological support needs.

Conclusions: Couples value pro-active intervention and support from their diabetes team or primary care for both the partners to live well with Type 1 diabetes.

Keywords: Co-design; Couples; Emotional support; Qualitative study; Relationships; Type 1 diabetes.