Development and Evaluation of a Culturally Sensitive Structured Diabetes Self-Management Program for People With Type 2 Diabetes Residing in Qatar

Summary

This study is about helping people in Qatar who have Type 2 Diabetes take better care of their health. Diabetes is a common and growing problem in Qatar, and many people need more support and information to manage it well in their daily lives.

Right now, there is a program called DESMOND in Qatar, but it is only available in a few places and can be expensive to run. It also doesn't always work well in the long term. That's why we are creating a new diabetes education program called PARADIGM-Q. This program will be easier to access, more affordable, and designed to match the culture and needs of people living in Qatar.

The PARADIGM-Q program will teach people how to manage diabetes using real-life examples and group discussions. This method is called Case-Based Learning. It helps people understand their condition better and learn how to make good decisions about food, exercise, medication, and dealing with challenges.

The project will happen in two main phases:

Phase One: Understanding and Creating the Program

In the first part, we'll look at different ways of teaching about diabetes and see if a method called Case-Based Learning (CBL) works well. After that, we'll build a curriculum (a plan for teaching) based on the PARADIGM model. This curriculum, called the PARADIGM-Q program, will use the CBL method to teach. We'll also test this new program with a small group of diabetes educators and people with diabetes to make sure it works well. Their feedback will help me make the program even better.

Phase Two: Testing the Program

In the second part, we'll do a big study using a mix of people from different backgrounds in Qatar who have Type 2 Diabetes. we want to see if the PARADIGM-Q program is better than the program they already have (called DESMOND). we'll look the impact of our new program on different things like how much they know about diabetes, how active they are, their blood sugar levels (HbA1C), and their overall quality of life.

This study could lead to a new standard for diabetes education in Qatar and other countries in the region, helping more people live healthier lives with diabetes.

Conditions

• Self-management
• Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM)
• Diabetes Self-management

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Intervention Name: PARADIGM-Q Diabetes Self-Management Education Program

PARADIGM-Q Diabetes Self-Management Education Program This is a culturally sensitive, structured education intervention tailored for adults with Type 2 Diabetes in Qatar. Developed using the PARADIGM model and delivered through a Case-Based Learning (CBL) approach, the program comprises three weekly group sessions of 3.5 hours each. Each session targets key self-management attributes: problem-solving, decision-making, taking action, resource utilization, and patient-provider relationships. The program emphasizes real-life applicability, cultural relevance, and skill-building to support sustainable diabetes self-care.

BEHAVIORAL

Control Arm (DESMOND): DESMOND Diabetes Self-Management Education Program

The DESMOND Diabetes Self-Management Education Program is the standard diabetes education intervention currently offered to newly diagnosed patients with Type 2 Diabetes in Qatar. It is a UK-developed, theory-driven program delivered over two group sessions, each lasting approximately four hours. The program provides structured education on diabetes, lifestyle management, and risk reduction strategies. It does not incorporate case-based learning or cultural tailoring, distinguishing it from the experimental PARADIGM-Q intervention. DESMOND is used here as an active comparator to evaluate the added value of culturally sensitive, problem-based education.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Qatar National Research Fund

  collaborator OTHER

• Hamad Medical Corporation

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• Primary Health Care Corporation, Qatar

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Qatar University

  collaborator OTHER

• Ragae Dughmosh

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Manal Musallam Othman, PhD · Hamad Medical Corporation

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-05-20

Primary Completion

2027-02-01

Completion

2027-02-01