Background
Dealing with diabetes and learning all the concepts and mechanisms going in the body every day is very challenging particularly where there is lack of education & awareness. Diabetes is a condition that needs extensive learning, and despite education, there are basics one needs to get familiarized with. Managing diabetes requires a specific diabetes regimen which can be difficult to adjust to. In hospital settings, it often gets difficult for a T1D to learn all concepts due to reasons like mental pressure of time and expenses as well as IQ and literacy. Healthcare professionals are unable to contribute sufficient time to help a T1D deal with the physical and psychological issues on regular basis. Therefore, educating T1Ds in non-hospital settings through fun and practical way is a far better approach. Practical education through a peer support group is an effective method to provide emotional support and ongoing self-management.

Aims
The objective of this study was to educate people with type 1 diabetes about their condition in a sociable environment to determine the psychological advantage of practical education.

Method
A group of 10 T1D people of different ages has been invited three times in different outdoor locations for sports clinic. Three modules covering different diabetes related issues starting from hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, insulin to carbohydrate ratio, insulin stacking, emotions in dealing with diabetes were designed and conducted. A questionnaire before and after the event was circulated to know the psycho-social state of the person and what he/she feels about diabetes to assess the change.

Results
The participants shared about their feelings about T1D and 18% didn’t like frequent hospital visits, 45% complained they didn’t get enough time with their doctor to learn everything and 27% were frustrated that they apply all theoretical tips and yet are unable to manage. 18% participants claimed that they were not comfortable to discuss about T1D management freely with their doctors. All participants felt rejuvenated and acknowledged that sports clinic is an active learning tool and effective learning by getting involved physically and mentally. 90% of the participants encouraged medical professionals to adapt the concept of sports clinic for diabetes education.

Discussion
In a fast-paced lifestyle, along with daily chores, work or study; managing type 1 diabetes becomes overbearing. A person with type 1 diabetes, most commonly in developing countries, have to face multiple challenges like finding limited medical professionals dealing type 1 diabetes, availability of diabetes educators, working on proper diet regimes according to insulin administration, diabetes management according to oneself physique and routines. They don’t get enough time to discuss physiological and psychological issues with their doctors in detail which limits their understanding about the condition in a better way. However, conducting a sports clinic in an outdoor location through peer support gives an opportunity to a person with T1D to rejuvenate, socialize and learn about better diabetes management. If medical professionals adapt this tool for education, including people of all ages, it will contribute to improve many lives with T1D.

Sports clinic: learning diabetes management for people with type 1 diabetes through practical education