The Role and Effectiveness of Telephone Peer Coaching for Adult Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

This pilot investigated the feasibility and viability of recruiting, training and pairing peer coaches with patients with type 2 diabetes and whether telephone coaching enhances health outcomes.

Using a 1-group longitudinal design, 115 English-speaking adult patients with type 2 diabetes living in a health region were recruited by educators. Measures were glycated hemoglobin levels, self-reported health, fatigue and pain, activation, empowerment, self-efficacy, depression, communication with physician, medication adherence, health literacy and health-care utilization. The intervention consisted of weekly 30-min telephone calls by coaches to patients for a period of 6 months. Outcome measures were completed at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. A 1-way repeated-measures analysis of variance assessed whether the coaching program improved the outcomes of the patients from baseline to 6 and 12 months.

Process recording demonstrated that peer coaches can be recruited, trained and paired with patients with type 2 diabetes for a 26-week period. At 12 months, the mean patient glycated hemoglobin level decreased by 9%; general health improved by 7%; fatigue decreased by 15%; activation increased by 15%; empowerment increased by 10%; self-efficacy increased by 23%; depression level decreased by 24%; and communication with physician increased by 22%.

This pilot found that a pragmatic low-cost telephone peer-coaching intervention assisted patients with type 2 diabetes to self-manage their diabetes in better ways. Future replication and randomized trials are needed to validate these preliminary findings. Involving volunteer peers in the spectrum of diabetes care is a cost-effective way of providing additional support and continuity of care.