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peer support

The emotional well-being of a person with diabetes directly impacts their own self-care and studies have shown that improved support of any kind can lead to positive outcomes. However, these benefits are only realized if healthcare professional actively integrate peer support into their daily practice and provide clients and their caregivers with the information and guidance to access various types of support. ADCES has partnered with members and leaders in this space to bring you resources that empower your clients to find support that works for them.

If you're a person with diabetes you can learn more about peer support here. 

Perspectives in Practice

The Role and Value of Ongoing and Peer Support in Diabetes Care and Education

To achieve positive outcomes, it’s imperative that people with diabetes have access to ongoing support from their healthcare provider. This practice paper offers direction to the role a diabetes care and education specialist should play in assessing a client’s social support and to refer to evidence-based peer support mutually determined to be of most value.

The Role and Value of Ongoing Peer Support

Key points addressed in this paper:

1. Types of diabetes support and supporters

2. Delivery of ongoing support by DSMES services

3. How to assess social support in diabetes care

4. Evidence on the types and value of peer support 

5. Impact of technology on access to peer support

Read More

From the Blog

Lisa HodgsonPractical Ways to Incorporate Peer Support into your Practice

The value of ongoing support for people with diabetes and their caregivers can play a role in achieving positive outcomes. Diabetes care and education specialist Lisa Hodgson gives an introduction to the new perspectives in practice paper on peer support and outlines some 4 steps you should consider when integrating peer support into DSMES services.

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The Collaboration Between ADCES and Peer Support Communities: A Look Back, Then Forward

Diabetes care and education specialist and peer support expert Hope Warshaw summarizes the major milestones that have transpired over the eight years of AADE’s collaboration with peer support communities and how this collaboration is moving forward in 2020.

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The Huddle: Conversations with the Diabetes Care Team

The Huddle is available on all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. Listen to previous episodes of The Huddle. 

Resources for Your Clients

Peer Support Tip Sheet

Download our peer support tip sheet, highlighting all the ways you can engage with diabetes-focused peer support communities.

Downloads

Spanish Language Resources

Peer support resources curated by Beyond Type 1 are available at DiabetesEducator.org/Spanish

ADCES In Practice Magazine Articles

Check out Focus on Peer Support in the latest issue of ADCES In Practice magazine to discover new ways to integrate peer support, both online and in person, into your practice. 

Peer Support Communities and Becoming a Better Educator: A Perspective
First Published October 18, 2018
Chris Memering, BSN, RN, CDE 

The College Diabetes Network: For the Highs and Lows of College Life
First Published February 26, 2013
Christina Roth

The Diabetes Educator Magazine Articles

The Role and Value of Ongoing Peer Support in Diabetes Care and Education

The Diabetes Educator Cover

Vol 45, 6: pp. 569-579., First Published October 16, 2019
Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE, BC-ADM, FAADE, Lisa Hodgson, RD, CDN, CDE, Mark Heyman, PhD, CDE, Tamara K. Oser, MD, Heather R. Walker, PhD, MS, Phyllisa Deroze, PhD, Joanne Rinker, RD, CDE, Michelle L. Litchman, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP

Insights into Veterans’ Perspectives on a Peer Support Program for Glycemic Management

Vol 45, 6: pp. 607-615., First Published October 9, 2019
Briana D. Lott, MPH, Tanisha N. Dicks, MBA, Shimrit Keddem, PhD, MPH, Valerie S. Ganetsky, PharmD, MSc, Judy A. Shea, PhD, Judith A. Long, MD

Effectiveness of Technologically Enhanced Peer Support in Improving Glycemic Management Among Predominantly African American, Low-Income Adults with Diabetes

Vol. 45, 3: pp. 260-271., First Published April 26, 2019
Michele Heisler, MD, MPA, Hwajung Choi, PhD, Rebecca Mase, MSW, Judith A. Long, MD, Pamela J. Reeves, MD

Positive Health Benefits of Peer Support and Connections for College Students with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Vol. 44, 4: pp. 340-347., First Published June 27, 2018
Jennifer Saylor, PhD, APRN, ACNS-BC, Sara Lee, MD, Michelle Ness, MSN, RN, NCSN, Jodie M. Ambrosino, PhD, Emily Ike, MS, Melissa Ziegler, PhD, Christina L. Roth, Christina Calamaro, PhD, APRN

“One Can Learn from Other People’s Experiences”: Latino Adults’ Preferences for Peer-Based Diabetes Interventions

Vol. 38, 5: pp. 733-741., First Published August 22, 2012
Arshiya A. Baig, MD, MPH, Cara A. Locklin, MPH, Abigail E. Wilkes, MPH, Donna Dempsey Oborski, RN, BSN, FCN, John C. Acevedo, MSW, Rita Gorawara-Bhat, PhD, Michael T. Quinn, PhD, Deborah L. Burnet, MD, MA, Marshall H. Chin, MD, MPH

ADCES’ Work in Peer Support

ADCES recognizes peer support, both online and in person, as a key tool for improved outcomes and overall quality of life for people with diabetes, their caregivers and healthcare providers. Learn more about ADCES’ work in this area and what you can do to support these efforts.

The Collaboration Between ADCES and Peer Support Communities: A Look Back, Then Forward
ADCES has become increasingly committed to raising the awareness of and referral to peer support and PSC as one way to improve the emotional wellbeing of people with diabetes, their caregivers and, in turn, diabetes self-care and outcomes.

Educators and Peer Support Communities: Working Together for the Good of People with Diabetes
In October 2017 ADCES worked with the technology work group to bring together stakeholders from the peer support communities and ADCES/diabetes educator communities to identify ways in which both groups can work together to better serve those affected by diabetes. This is a report from that meeting.

Building Bridges Through Collaboration and Consensus: Expanding Awareness and Use of Peer Support and Peer Support Communities Among People With Diabetes, Caregivers, and Health Care Providers
Hope Warshaw, David Edelman
First published November 4, 2018

Evidence on the Impact of Peer Support

State of the Science: A Scoping Review and Gap Analysis of Diabetes Online Communities
Michelle L. Litchman, et al
Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology 
First Published March 10, 2019

Peer Support May Cut Costs, Boost Health of People with Diabetes and Depression
Andrea L. Cherrington, Yulia Khodneva, Joshua S. Richman, Susan J. Andreae, Christopher Gamboa and Monika M. Safford
First published October 29, 2018; Issue published: October 2018

Sometimes Patients Simply Need Other Patients by the New York Times
Using the internet for a diagnosis is not recommended, but there's great power in sharing stories.

Learn, Connect, Engage: Peer Support Communities (Podcast)
Learn more about peer support, its impact, and how you can become involved in this podcast from Sound Bites.

Effect of Diabetes Online Community Engagement on Health Indicators: Cross-Sectional Study
Michelle Litchman, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, et al
First published April 4, 2018; Issue published: April-June

"Superstar" Patients with Diabetes Can Inspire Others
Barbara D Smith, BSPharm, RPh, CDE
First Published December 18, 2015; Issue published: January 2016

T1D Exchange: An Online Community for People Touched by Type 1 Diabetes
Amy Bevan
First Published June 21, 2017; Issue, published: July 2017

Psychosocial Educational Needs of College Students Newly Diagnosed With Type 1 Diabetes
Jennifer Saylor PhD, RN, APRN, et al
First Published October 23, 2017; Issue published: November 2017

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