Type 2 diabetes peer support interventions as a complement to primary care settings in high-income nations: A scoping review

Abstract

Objectives: Inadequate social support make way for peer support initiatives to complement the health system delivery of diabetes self-management education programs for type 2 diabetes (T2D). This review synthesizes knowledge about T2D peer support in terms of their various models and impact, endorsement, and contextual information in high-income nations.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted on published and grey literature in four electronic bibliographic databases between January 2007 to December 2021.

Results: 76 records were included. Face-to-face self-management programs and telephone-based peer support seem the most promising modalities given the largest scientific coverage on T2D outcomes. Face-to-face self-management programs were the most preferred by ethnic minority groups. Unlike peer supporters, healthcare professionals had mixed views about T2D peer support interventions. Managers of peer support programs perceived cultural competency as a cornerstone for peer support implementation. Care must be taken in recruiting, training and retaining peer supporters for sustainable practice.

Conclusions: Various T2D peer support models lie at the interface between primary care and community-based settings.

Practice implications: Fostering the role of peer support beyond healthcare organizations should be encouraged to engage the hardly reached, and to leverage community support to complement the health system.

Keywords: Diabetes self-management education; Peer support; Type 2 diabetes.