Development and Implementation of a Nationwide Structured Education Programme for Type 1 Diabetes in India: The T1DE...

Structured education is an integral part of type 1 diabetes (T1D) care. In India, while several programmes exist for type 2 diabetes, structured educational initiatives for people with T1D (PwT1D) and key stakeholders are lacking. The type 1 diabetes education (T1DE) programme was developed to address this gap.

T1DE is a structured ten-session online course delivered free of cost in regional languages, targeting PwT1D, caregivers, nutritionists, paramedical staff, and physicians. Developed using the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) instructional model, the programme was evaluated using a mixed-methods approach-tracking attendance, assessments, qualification rates, and participant feedback.

In the year 2023-2024, out of 1023 registrants, 81.2% (831) initiated the course. Among them, 50.5% (420) met the minimum attendance criteria, and 301 appeared for the final certification test. The pass rate was 89.4%, with a mean test score of 81 ± 15%. Final certification was awarded to 32.4% (269/831) of those initiating the course. Nutritionists constituted the largest group (23.2%) with the highest qualification and pass rates. Physicians showed similarly high levels of engagement and success. PwT1D accounted for only 16% of participants, and their qualification rates were the lowest. Both trainers and trainees rated the programme highly, emphasizing content relevance and quality. Attrition remained a challenge, consistent with global patterns in diabetes education.

T1DE is India's largest structured T1D education initiative, offering evidence-based, inclusive training without financial burden. The programme has demonstrated high knowledge gains among those who completed it, though long-term outcome measures and sustained engagement remain areas for future work.