New early onset type 2 diabetes NHS online course for healthcare professionals supports treatment and care for young adults

A new online, free course on managing early onset type 2 diabetes has been developed for healthcare professionals working with people aged 18 – 39 years living with type 2 diabetes.  

The course has been developed by the EDEN team at Leicester Diabetes Centre with universal access funded by the NHS England Diabetes Programme. It aims to refresh and further increase their skills in managing early onset type 2 diabetes, and to raise awareness of how best to care for people living with the condition to minimise the long-term health risks associated with it. 

The course covers a range of topics including diagnosis, pre-conception and pregnancy, cardio-renal-metabolic management, and psychological wellbeing. Each module takes about 30-40 minutes to complete.  

Early onset type 2 diabetes is more aggressive than later onset type 2 diabetes, with a higher lifetime risk of developing premature diabetes-related complications and a worse cardio-metabolic risk factor profile.  It is more prevalent in people living within deprived areas and individuals from minority ethnic groups.

Professor Melanie Davies, Co-Director of Leicester Diabetes Centre (LDC) explains: "There is an urgent need for targeted interventions for people with early-onset type 2 diabetes, who have specific needs that are different to those who develop type 2 diabetes later in life. 

"Healthcare professionals and service providers need to address the challenges and barriers young people with type 2 diabetes may face, such as being in full time work or education, having young families, high burden of mental health illness, diabetes stigma, higher levels of socioeconomic deprivation and a higher prevalence in people of ethnic minority backgrounds. 

"This course is designed specifically to highlight the unique needs of young adults living with type 2 diabetes and aims to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and confidence to tailor their services to better support this group of people and potentially reduce the risk of subsequent health conditions." 

For more information and to access the course, visit www.eot2deden.com