A Context-Adapted Diabetes Prevention Program (Small Steps for Big Changes) in Australia: Protocol for a Hybrid...

With type 2 diabetes rates escalating worldwide, including in Australia, effective, acceptable, sustainable, and scalable diabetes prevention programs are needed. Small Steps for Big Changes (SSBC) is a Canadian-developed, community-delivered diet and exercise counseling intervention for individuals at risk of type 2 diabetes. The 3- to 6-week intervention can be delivered by trained non-health professionals, with all SSBC coaches receiving training in the delivery of the program, including motivational interviewing. However, the suitability and feasibility of the program in the Australian context are unknown. To address this gap, funding has been secured to adapt, implement, and evaluate SSBC in Australia (SSBC Australia), providing evidence on its effectiveness, acceptability, and implementation in this context.

The aim of the study is to describe the protocol for the type 2 cluster nonrandomized single-arm hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial of SSBC Australia.

SSBC Australia will be delivered and evaluated in 5 community-based sites across 2 organizations in South-East Queensland, Australia. One organization (1 site) will trial training students on clinical and project placements as coaches. The evaluation period is 4 years. For the first 2 years, sites receive funding for program delivery, after which, ongoing delivery will be self-funded. The recruitment target is 500 participants completing the 6-session intervention across the 5 sites within 2 years, with approximately 50 coaches trained. Data will be collected from the organization, site, coach, and client using a variety of methods (surveys, objective assessments, interviews, site audits, website analytics, meeting minutes, and project tracking). The integrated Practical, Robust, Implementation Sustainability Model and Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance framework and the Affordability, Practicality, Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness, Acceptability, Side-Effects/Safety, and Equity criteria will guide implementation and evaluation and inform iterative adaptations as required. Data will be collected on the context for delivery; adoption and reach (number of coaches and clients and their characteristics); effectiveness of the coach training and the intervention (client pre- and post changes in measured clinical indicators [body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, strength, and balance], self-reported health behaviors [movement behaviors, healthy eating, and program behaviors], psychosocial indicators [self-efficacy and social supports], quality of life, diabetes status, and health care use); implementation of the coach training and program delivery (fidelity and acceptability); and maintenance of program delivery (sites) and client outcomes at 3, 6, and 12 months post end-of-program.

Ethics approval and trial registration were completed. All 5 sites have been recruited and undergone preimplementation evaluation, with SSBC Australia coach training underway. Client recruitment started in September 2025.

This study will provide evidence whether the contextually adapted SSBC diabetes prevention program can be successfully implemented and is effective within an Australian context. Findings will inform potential expansion to additional community sites and health service contexts.

Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12624001194550; https://tinyurl.com/588jkmva.

DERR1-10.2196/81195.