How story-telling is helping diabetics...

24 November 2009

SHARING stories can help diabetics from different cultures improve coping with the condition, according to the results of a three-year study.

Staff from the Newham Diabetes Service and Professor Trisha Greenhalgh at University College London worked together on the three year POSEIDON (Promoting Collaborative Support and Education in Diabetes for Minority Ethnic Groups) research project.

It was funded by the Department of Health and compared the effect of story sharing groups run by bilingual health advocates or community workers, and standard diabetes education delivered by NHS nurses, for people from minority ethnic groups. It was aimed at studying the benefit of these groups on diabetes control, smoking, diet, weight, exercise and people's ability to manage their diabetes.

Story sharing groups were set up in Newham in 2004 to allow diabetics who did not speak English to learn about managing their condition. Due to the success of the groups the Trust won a research grant in 2006 to measure the impact of this type of education on health. The study was based at Newham University Hospital NHS Trust and was a collaboration between the Trust and University College London.

Shanti Vijayaraghavan, Clinical Director and Consultant in Endocrinology and Diabetes, said: "The study found a significant improvement in people's quality of life and self management skills when they attended the story sharing groups in comparison to the standard diabetes education sessions.

"However, the effect on their diabetes control was similar in both the groups. We now plan to study these groups further and also explore their role in the management of women with diabetes who are planning a pregnancy."

Trish Greenhalgh, Professor of Primary Health Care, said: "The great strength of this project was the sense of partnership - between NHS staff, patients, academics and the voluntary sector. We have all learnt a lot from our involvement in this project and we hope to secure further funding to continue the work.