Study identifies a set of core outcomes to facilitate future research on young adults with type 1 diabetes

Dr Molly Byrne led an Irish Research Council supported study on “Evaluating effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving clinical, behavioural or psychosocial outcomes for young adults with Type 1 diabetes: A consensus study”. Young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) frequently struggle to manage their condition and report poor clinical outcomes.

The aim of the study was to identify a core outcome set (COS), to use as a minimum set of outcomes to measure in future research.

The project engaged an international sample of key stakeholders including young adults living with type 1 diabetes, diabetes health professionals, diabetes researchers and people who inform policy on diabetes services.

A list of 87 outcomes commonly used in intervention studies involving young adults with type 1 diabetes was generated from a published systematic review and discussion among the research team. Utilising this list, a two-phase eDelphi survey to rate outcomes was conducted, followed by a consensus meeting at NUI Galway to agree the Core Outcome Set.

Following discussion at the consensus meeting, 27 outcomes were deemed ‘high support’, and were voted upon in the final voting-phase of the meeting. Nine core outcomes were agreed. The study team hopes that these COS will facilitate future research to improve outcomes for young adults with T1D, but advise that more research is needed to identify the best measures for the core outcomes.