Effect of Health Volunteers on Diabetes Self-Management
Author Information
Author(s): Iverson Thomas, Alfares Hadil, Nijjar Gurkirat Singh, Wong Jeffrey, Abbasi Emaan, Esfandiari Elham, Lin Margaret, Petrella Robert J., Symes Bobbi, Chudyk Anna, Ashe Maureen C.
Primary Institution: The University of British Columbia
Hypothesis
What is the effect of health or peer volunteer-led interventions on psychosocial and behavioral outcomes for middle-aged and older adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus?
Conclusion
Volunteers can positively influence behavior change in diabetes self-management, but their impact on psychosocial outcomes is less clear.
Supporting Evidence
- Volunteers provided social and emotional support to patients.
- Interventions varied in duration from one to 46 months.
- Only one psychosocial outcome favored the intervention group.
- Six behavioral outcomes favored the intervention group.
- Training for volunteers varied from one to 32 hours.
Takeaway
This study looked at how volunteers help people with diabetes manage their health better. It found that while volunteers can help with some behaviors, they don't always improve feelings like stress or sadness.
Methodology
A rapid systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, including randomized controlled trials from 2013 onwards.
Potential Biases
Some studies had concerns regarding measurement outcomes and randomization.
Limitations
The review included only nine studies, which limited the ability to generalize findings due to variability in interventions and outcomes.
Participant Demographics
Participants were predominantly middle-aged and older adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, with an average age of 59.4 years and approximately 38% women.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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