What we did

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, analyzing data from various studies that assessed educational and psychoeducational interventions aimed at improving self-management in children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes. The goal was to determine the overall effectiveness of these interventions on health outcomes.

What we found

Results stemming from the 30 included RCTs suggest limited effects of these interventions on clinical and psychological outcomes. Included studies were mostly of poor quality, precluding firm conclusions. Pooled data from 20 studies, and particularly 14 studies of psychoeducational interventions, showed small, statistically significant short-term impacts on glycaemic control, but with minimal sustained clinical importance

Pooled data from seven studies suggested statistically significant improvements in general QoL from SME, but likely below the threshold to be considered clinically meaningful.

What this means

There is a lack of robust evidence that current self-management interventions result in clinically meaningful improvements in HbA1c and QoL. Future research should focus on redefining approaches to supporting and encouraging self-management