New Research on Type 1 Diabetes Management in Adolescents Points to Importance of Self-Management and Online Platforms

Young people living with Type 1 diabetes face unique challenges, including difficulties in managing their condition, maintaining stable blood sugar levels, and transitioning to adult healthcare. To address these challenges, researchers have developed an online platform called Support-t, which aims to provide self-management education and support to adolescents with Type 1 diabetes. A recent study published in BMJ Open outlines the protocol for an effectiveness-implementation trial to evaluate the impact of the Support-t platform on HbA1c levels and other outcomes in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes.

Key Takeaways:

• The Support-t platform is designed to facilitate transition by fostering self-management education and support for adolescents with Type 1 diabetes, which can improve their confidence in managing their glycaemia.
• The platform will be tested in a multisite, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial involving 200 adolescents (14-16 years old) living with Type 1 diabetes.
• The primary outcome is HbA1c at 18 months, and secondary outcomes include self-efficacy for diabetes self-management, transition readiness, diabetes-specific quality of life, and others.
• The study aims to understand the context and barriers, facilitators, engagement, and fidelity of the intervention and will also conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis.
• The research is funded by the Canadian Institute for Health Research and has received approval from the McGill University Health Centre Research Ethics Board.

Statistics:

• 200 adolescents (14-16 years old) will participate in the trial.
• The study will have a 18-month access period for the active arm, and their healthcare team will be trained on the platform's content.
• The primary outcome is HbA1c at 18 months, with a difference in mean HbA1c to be calculated between both arms.
• Outcome measures include self-efficacy, transition readiness, diabetes-specific quality of life, diabetes distress, continuous glucose monitoring metrics, and others.

Sources:

• Support-t, an online training and peer support platform to accompany youth living with type 1 diabetes transitioning to adult healthcare: protocol of an effectiveness-implementation trial, BMJ Open, 2025;15(10)
• NewsRx. New Findings from McGill University Health Center in the Area of Type 1 Diabetes Reported (Support-t, an online training and peer support platform to accompany youth living with type 1 diabetes transitioning to adult healthcare: protocol of an ...), Diabetes Week, October 20, 2025; p 312