Young Leaders in Diabetes: Changing Their Own and Other's Future


Background

The Young Leaders in Diabetes (YLD) are individuals between 15 and 30 years old who complete a year-long training held in ADJ Diabetes Brasil, since 2009. In addition to 6 months of practical and theoretical training, the YLD write, implement, and analyze the outcomes of a project. Most of the projects focus on diabetes education and awareness. The training is constantly refined benefiting from a mutual inspiration by similar programs that take place in Ecuador (FDJE), Chile (FDJ), Uruguay (ADU), and Paraguay (FUPADI), among others. Leaders trained in one of those countries often participate in the pre-camp training and work as visiting-staff in the diabetes camps organized by partner entities. 

Aims

The aims of the training and the work of the YLD are to inspire and assist with updated information others living with diabetes, educate the society on diabetes prevention and control, represent their peers and lead a change for better access and understanding. The objective of the present abstract is to evaluate the impact of the training on YLD’s HbA1c and introduce some of the initiatives through which they have been influencing their expanded community.  

Methods

Unique and singular activities created by and/or developed in partnership with YLD were identified. HbA1c values were compared between 3 different times: pre-training and post-training of 11 YLD (5 women and 6 men); and also the first HbA1c in 2017 of 8 of those 11 YLD (2 women and 6 men) (1 to 7 years after completing the training, depending on when the training was attended by each one). 

Results

Among the most successful activities are: educational videos available on their YouTube Channel (Jovens Líderes em Diabetes Brasil: https://goo.gl/ERQgnf), card and board games on diabetes education, a comic book called “Gibietes”, a regular Blue Picnic to share experiences and learn about diabetes from invited healthcare professionals (www.facebook.com/PiqueniqueAzul).
They also create content for different blogs and websites, including a successful blog for diabetes caregivers developed by one YLD (http://meuamigocomdiabetes.blogspot.com.br, www.facebook.com/meuamigocomdiabetes). Fifteen+ of them are currently specialized counselors at the traditional ADJ-UNIFESP-NR Camp (https://youtu.be/I5aPPTOPfPs). Regarding their HbA1c, 4 out of the 11 YLD were in target (< 7%) before the training (2 men and 2 women). Immediately after the training 6 were in the target (3 men and 3 women), and in the beginning of 2017, 5 out of 8 were in target (1 woman and 4 men). The difference between the 11 YLD’s HbA1c before and after the training was significant (p=0.041, Wilcoxon Matched Pairs Test), the 8 individuals from whom we could obtain the HbA1c in 2017 had a significant difference comparing to the pre-training period (p=0.036), and no difference was observed when comparing immediately post-training HbA1c values with the ones obtained in 2017 (p=0.093).

Discussion

The investment in training young leaders in diabetes has an immediate return in terms of better and sustained individual glycemic control and more well prepared change makers for the communities where they live, in addition to several outstanding projects that they develop.

Young Leaders in Diabetes: changing their own and others' future