Published: 10 July 2024
In partnership with Diabetes UK, NIHR is investing nearly £3 million into research to spot, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes distress.
The research is being led by Professor Jackie Sturt at King's College London. The funding will help develop and test a new programme called ‘D-Stress’ to tackle diabetes distress.
Diabetes distress is when a person feels burdened or overwhelmed by living with diabetes. This condition makes it more difficult to deal with diabetes and reduces quality of life. It’s thought that almost half of adults with type 1 diabetes experience high levels of diabetes distress. Currently there are no effective treatments for this available in the NHS.
The D-Stress programme aims to find out the best way to deliver diabetes distress care within the NHS for the detection, prevention, and management in adults with type 1 diabetes. This could transform diabetes distress care in the UK.
Lisa Gough who lives with type 1 diabetes told Diabetes UK:
"Diabetes needs to be treated more holistically. It’s an all-consuming, never-ending condition. We are often treated as just our HbA1c's and not a person living with this unrelenting condition. Things need to change, as without good mental health you cannot manage your diabetes."
The D-Stress Programme
The programme will combine the best of three existing treatments, developed and tested by researchers in the USA and Denmark. The team will consult with people with type 1 diabetes and healthcare professionals. They will pick aspects from the existing treatments with the most potential. They’ll test the new approach in a trial. This is to find out if it can reduce diabetes distress and improve blood sugar levels. As well as improving people's quality of life.
Along the way, they’ll continue to check in with participants and healthcare professionals. This is to make sure the programme’s fit for purpose, achievable to deliver, and cost-effective to expand and use in the NHS.
Professor Sturt's groundbreaking research could revolutionise type 1 diabetes care by developing the UK's first treatment focusing on the emotional impact of the condition.
Making diabetes distress part of everyday diabetes care could mean more people have the support to manage type 1 diabetes and live happier lives.
Professor Sturt said "I am excited to be leading an impressive team of national and international experts in diabetes distress. Together we seek to develop a care pathway in the NHS to meet the everyday emotional and psychological needs of people living with type 1 diabetes.
Diabetes distress is currently a priority unmet need for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and we will be working with diabetes health professionals who also strongly recognise this need."
Professor Danny McAuley, Scientific Director for NIHR Programmes, said "We are delighted to be partnering with Diabetes UK to co-fund this important research. NIHR is funded by the public, and this investment in research on diabetes distress is not just about managing the condition, but about empowering people with type 1 diabetes to live happier lives. Preventing and treating diabetes distress will help provide better care for thousands of people living with type 1 diabetes in the UK."
Anna Morris, Assistant Director of Research Strategy and Partnerships at Diabetes UK said "We’re thrilled to be working with the NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research scheme again, and this partnership will enable vital research into addressing type 1 diabetes distress.”