A diabetes research team at NUI Galway’s School of Medicine are looking at ways to improve how diabetes services are delivered to young adults in Ireland.
The D1 Now research team, led by Professor Seán Dinneen, has focused on involving young adults at the centre of the research, in order to improve diabetes services by creating flexible young adult-centred clinics.
The D1 Now team propose to improve the delivery of diabetes services by using interactive online tools, key staff members dedicated to young adults, and tools to ensure the young adults agenda is heard within the traditional clinic.
D1 Now are currently looking to recruit members for a Dublin-based Young Adult Panel (YAP) to broaden the group of people who are involved to directly contribute to the research.
The research team and current Young Adult Panel members from Galway will be present to discuss what is involved for potential members and a questions and answers session to share the experience of being a Young Adult Panel member.
Research indicates that this particular age group of young adults, aged 18 to 25, with type 1 diabetes often disengage from health services and their general diabetes management.
However, young adults do not usually get the chance to make suggestions on how to improve diabetes services or provide feedback on how the service could work best for them.
The Young Adult Panel’s involvement has led to a better understanding of what needs to be achieved in order to improve health service delivery in terms of responding to the specific needs of young adults at this transitional time in their lives.
The Dublin-based Youth Adult Panel is the next step for the D1 Now programme and spreading the importance of young adult involvement across Ireland.
The information evening will take place on Wednesday, 14 March at 6pm in Grantham House, Grantham Street, Dublin 8.
The study was funded through a Health Research Board, Definitive Interventions and Feasibility Awards grant.
