Digital Self-Management Education and Support for Young Adults With Type 2 Diabetes (DSMESYAT2DM)

Summary

This randomized controlled trial will evaluate the effect of a nurse-led digital self-management education and support program on self-management behaviors, glycemic control, and diabetes-related distress in young adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).

Young adults with T2DM often have difficulty maintaining good glycemic control and following self-management recommendations. Digital tools and remote education may help support their daily self-care, but there is limited evidence for structured, nurse-led digital programs in this age group.

In this study, 72 young adults aged 18 to 45 years with T2DM will be recruited from the Endocrinology and Metabolism outpatient clinic of Van Regional Training and Research Hospital. Participants who meet the inclusion criteria and provide informed consent will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the active control group (36 participants in each group). Randomization will be stratified by baseline HbA1c level.

The intervention group will receive a 12-week nurse-led Digital Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) program delivered via a digital platform. The program will be based on the ADCES7™ self-care behaviors and will include structured educational modules, self-monitoring and goal-setting tools, reminders, motivational messages, and interactive communication with a diabetes nurse and, when needed, other members of the multidisciplinary team.

The active control group will receive usual diabetes care and access to standard digital written education materials (for example, the Ministry of Health Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patient education brochure in PDF format) via the same platform, as well as basic data entry tools for tracking glucose and related information. However, they will not receive the structured nurse-led DSMES intervention.

Primary outcomes will include changes in diabetes self-management behaviors and glycemic control (for example, HbA1c) from baseline to the end of the 12-week intervention. Secondary outcomes will include changes in diabetes-related distress and user satisfaction and usability of the digital program. Data will be collected using validated questionnaires and clinical laboratory results obtained from the hospital records.

The findings of this study may provide evidence on the effectiveness of a nurse-led digital DSMES program in improving self-management, glycemic control, and distress among young adults with T2DM and may support the integration of digital education and support into routine diabetes care.

Conditions

• Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM)
• Diabetes-related Distress
• Diabetes Distress

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Digital Nurse-Led DSMES Program

A 12-week nurse-led digital Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) intervention delivered via a web-based and/or mobile platform. The intervention includes structured educational content based on ADCES7™ self-care behaviors, digital tools for self-monitoring and goal setting, automated reminders, motivational messages, and two-way communication with a diabetes nurse, with referral to other team members (e.g., dietitian, physician) when needed.

BEHAVIORAL

Usual Care Plus Standard Digital Education

Usual diabetes care provided at the endocrinology clinic along with access to standard digital written Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patient education materials (e.g., a nationally approved T2DM patient education brochure in PDF format) on the digital platform. Participants can enter and view basic self-monitoring data but do not receive the structured nurse-led DSMES or individualized digital counseling.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Recep Turan

  lead OTHER_GOV

Principal Investigators

• HİCRAN BEKTAŞ, PROF. DR. · Akdeniz University Faculty of Nursing

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

45 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-06-16

Primary Completion

2026-12-31

Completion

2027-12-31

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations