bgathome

Description:

BGATHome is an online Blood Glucose Awareness Training program designed in the US to help adults with Type 1 diabetes become more aware of their blood glucose (BG) so they can better: anticipate extreme BG levels, detect the presence of extreme BG levels, treat current extreme BG levels, and prevent the occurrence of future extreme BG levels. The training program follows an eight-chapter manual that includes didactic information, self-assessment tools, and active learning exercises. Unit 1 focuses on how to apply the content of BGAT to daily life through homework, including making use of blood glucose awareness diaries and plotting blood glucose estimates on an error grid. Units 2–4 focus on the interpretation of external cues to better understand why BG is where it is and what changes are likely to occur in the future. Units 5–7 teach users about internal cues so they can better recognize and interpret symptoms of extreme BG to improve detection of these events. Unit 8 summarizes what has been learned from the previous 7 weeks of training and promotes relapse prevention.

Service URL:

http://www.bgathome.com

Agency Responsible:

University of Virginia Diabetes Research Team.

Details

Format:

Website.

Intervention Type:

Educational (primarily educational material or psychoeducation). Utilises 'active learning' strategies

Course Length:

Long (more than 5 modules). Comprises 7 weekly units that take 40-60 minutes to complete

Support Option:

Automated only. Also provides tailored feedback

Target Audience

Primary Category:

Diabetes.

Target Audience:

Adult.

Language:

English.

Access

Fee:

Free.

Access:

Currently unavailable. Users may register their interest in the program for either participation in future research trials or to use the program if it becomes commercially available

Contact Details:

help@bgathome.com

Research evidence

Research Trials:

1

Research RCTs:

1

Outcome Summary:

The BGATHome program has been evaluated in an RCT comparing BGATHome to a waitlist control assessing pre and post measures. Participants who completed the BGATHome intervention showed significant improvements in their 'functioning score', an outcome measure composed of a range of diabetes-related clinical and psychological measures (diabetes knowledge, worry, self-monitored BG levels, exercise, overall BG estimation accuracy).  Participants also rated the intervention as beneficial, easy to use, and enjoyable.  There is currently a trial of the program being developed in Western Australia.

Recommended rating, reviewer 1:

Recommended rating, reviewer 2:

Read more about Beacon's Smiley Rating System.

Research paper citations

Efficacy studies:
Cox, D., Clarke, W., Ritterband, L., Gonder-Frederick, L., Magee, J. (2008). Blood glucose awareness training delivered over the Internet. Diabetes Care, 31: 1527-1528.

Additional references:
Cox, D. J., Gonder-Frederick, L., Ritterband, L. M., Patel, K., Schächinger, H., Fehm-Wolfsdorf, G., Hermanns, N., Snoek, F., Zrebiec, J., Polonsky, W., Schlundt, D., Kovatchev, B., & Clarke, W. (2006).  Blood Glucose Awareness Training (BGAT):  What is it, where is it, and where is it going. Diabetes Spectrum, 29(2), 467.