Symposium Australian Diabetes Society and the Australian Diabetes Educators Association Annual Scientific Meeting 2017

Diabetes peer support in Australia: the experience, the evidence and a roadmap for future service provision (#19)

Jessica L Browne 1 2 , Jane Speight 1 2 , Renza Scibilia 3 , David Simmons 4 , Carolyn Jones 5
  1. The Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes, Diabetes Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  2. School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
  3. Diabetes Australia, Melbourne
  4. Western Sydney University, New South Wales
  5. Diabetes Victoria, Melbourne

Peer support may be a beneficial adjunct to the formal healthcare available for people with diabetes. However, only one in ten Australians with diabetes participate in peer support, and the available information about the benefits and impact is often lacking in consistency, depth, and breadth. Thus, there is often confusion around what peer support is and whether or not it is worthwhile. In our symposium, we will take a 360 degree view of diabetes peer support, exploring the issue from the perspective of a consumer (Renza Scibilia, Diabetes Australia), and a clinician-researcher, Prof David Simmons (Western Sydney University). They will examine both the experience of, and the evidence behind, peersupport and identify ways in which they are in synergy and/or in tension with one another. Dr Jessica Browne (ACBRD) will review the current state of diabetes peer support offerings in Australia, and discuss a roadmap for design and delivery of peer support initiatives in the future. Finally, Carolyn Jones (Diabetes Victoria) will discuss Diabetes Victoria’s model for peersupport. The symposium will be of interest to healthcare professionals who are wondering if/how to recommend peer support to people with diabetes, as well as to consumer advocates and those involved in service design and delivery.