Development of a core outcome set for diabetes after pregnancy prevention interventions (COS-DAP): a study protocol

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Endocrinology
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) significantly increases long-term risks, including type 2 diabetes.
• Intensive lifestyle interventions can halve this risk, but studies often lack sufficient duration or sample size to assess incident diabetes.
• There is a growing need for standardized outcome measures in interventions aimed at preventing diabetes after pregnancy (DAP).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a Core Outcome Set for Diabetes After Pregnancy (COS-DAP) prevention interventions.
• To establish a standardized framework for evaluating interventions targeting women with prior GDM and their families.
• To enhance the comparability and synthesis of findings from future DAP prevention studies.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of DAP prevention intervention studies post-GDM.
• Investigator meeting to catalog outcomes and implementation components.
• Two-round online Delphi survey for outcome prioritization.
• Consensus meeting with stakeholders using nominal group technique.

Main Results:

• The study is in the process of developing a Core Outcome Set (COS) for DAP prevention interventions.
• The methodology involves systematic review, expert consensus, and stakeholder input.
• Specific results regarding the finalized COS measures will be available upon study completion.

Conclusions:

• The COS-DAP project will yield a standardized COS for health behavior change interventions to prevent DAP.
• The developed COS will improve the ability to compare future studies and synthesize evidence.
• Involving diverse stakeholders ensures the COS's practical applicability and relevance in clinical and research settings.