The Role and Effectiveness of Telephone Peer Coaching for Adult Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

This pilot investigated the feasibility and viability of recruiting, training and pairing peer coaches with patients with type 2 diabetes and whether telephone coaching enhances health outcomes. Using a 1-group longitudinal design, 115 English-speaking adult patients with type 2 diabetes living in a health region were recruited by educators. Measures were glycated hemoglobin levels, self-reported health, fatigue and pain, activation, empowerment, self-efficacy, depression, communication with physician, medication adherence, health literacy and health-care utilization. The intervention consisted of weekly 30-min telephone calls by coaches to patients for a period of 6 months. Outcome measures were completed at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. A 1-way repeated-measures analysis of variance assessed whether the coaching program improved the outcomes of the patients from baseline to 6 and 12 months. Process recording demonstrated that peer coaches can be recruited, trained and paired with patients with type 2 diabetes for a 26-week period. At 12 months, the mean patient glycated hemoglobin level decreased by 9%; general health improved by 7%; fatigue decreased by 15%; activation increased by 15%; empowerment increased by 10%; self-efficacy increased by 23%; depression level decreased by 24%; and communication with physician increased by 22%. This pilot found that a pragmatic low-cost telephone peer-coaching intervention assisted patients with type 2 diabetes to self-manage their diabetes in better ways. Future replication and randomized trials are needed to validate these preliminary findings. Involving volunteer peers in the spectrum of diabetes care is a cost-effective way of providing additional support and continuity of care. Ce projet pilote visait à examiner la faisabilité et la viabilité du recrutement, de la formation et du jumelage d'entraîneurs entre pairs avec des patients atteints de diabète de type 2 et visait à savoir si un accompagnement téléphonique améliore les résultats pour la santé. En utilisant un modèle longitudinal à groupe unique, 115 patients adultes anglophones atteints de diabète de type 2 vivant dans une même région sanitaire ont été recrutés par des éducateurs. Les mesures ont porté sur les taux d'hémoglobine glyquée, l’état de santé autodéclarée, l’état de fatigue et de douleur, l'état d'activité, l'autonomisation, l'efficacité personnelle, la dépression, la communication avec le médecin, l'observance thérapeutique, la littératie