Australasian Peers for Progress Program

The Australasian Peers for Progress - Diabetes Program (Australasian PfP-DP) aims to implement and evaluate a peer-led group program to provide support to people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The Australasian PfP-DP is one of eight groups worldwide, contributing to a larger global program which seeks to evaluate, demonstrate and promote peer support for diabetes management around the world. The program is funded by the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation and is being administered through Monash University in collaboration with Diabetes Australia – Victoria, Deakin and Flinders Universities.

Well managed diabetes can reduce the risk of serious complications associated with T2DM such as the development of heart, kidney and circulatory disease. The Australasian PfP-DP aims to help participants improve their daily diabetes self management, provide social and emotional support, and assist with gaining access to and linkage with clinical care. Peer groups will be led by a volunteer lay peer leader who will undertake a 3 day training program to lead the groups. Together, the leader and participants will share their experiences with diet, physical activity, adherence to medication and other issues related to living with diabetes, while building problem solving and goal setting skills to promote and implement daily self management routines in their lives.

The training program for the volunteer lay peer leaders will develop their skills in providing appropriate support and advice to their peer group by providing communication skills, skills to manage group dynamics and group development, as well as issues related to group and program sustainability. All peer leaders and group participants will be offered a one day diabetes self management education program, after which the groups will be randomly assigned (like tossing a coin) so that each peer leader and group will have a 50% chance to start group meetings immediately or to wait for 12 months before their group meetings begin.

Groups will be established as small community groups with participants and peer leader from the same communities. Groups will meet once per month for approximately 1 ½ - 2 hours to discuss aspects of daily diabetes self management, review and discuss specific diabetes care issues and provide improved access to and knowledge about local community and other kinds of resources.

The aims of the project are:

1. To implement and evaluate the impact of the Australasian PfP-DP on:
   • Assistance and consultation in applying diabetes management plan in daily life
   • Ongoing social and emotional support
   • Linkages to and assistance in gaining access to clinical care
   • Ongoing availability of support
2. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of The Australasian PfP-DP and its potential long-term benefits and potential transferability to other settings and countries
3. To identify salient enablers and barriers to future system-wide uptake in Australia and potential transferability to Malaysia and other middle income countries in Asia and Southern Africa