Scalable Solutions for Improving Mental Well-being for People with Diabetes

Diabetes is a psychologically burdensome condition that can negatively impact the mental wellbeing of people living with diabetes and their loved ones. Psychological distress is common among both youth and adults with diabetes, and negatively associated with quality of life and self-management of the diabetes leading to an increased risk of debilitating complications. Clinical guidelines advocate integrating prevention and management of psychological distress in diabetes primary and secondary care. However, implementing psychological care has proven to be challenging, particularly in low resourced settings. There is an urgent need for cost-efficient, scalable interventions to help improve and maintain the mental wellbeing of people with diabetes, utilizing innovative digital health solutions, community approaches and peer support.

The goal of this Research Topic (RT) is to bring together a collection of papers that individually and collectively have developed and used (potentially) scalable solutions to prevent and/or improve and maintain the mental wellbeing of people with diabetes. For example in terms of general distress, wellbeing, anxiety, depression, diabetes distress, eating disorders and/or sexual health. Of particular interest for this RT are studies that hold promise as feasible, scalable supportive interventions for a large and diverse audience struggling to cope with the daily demands of self-managing type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes.

We welcome the submission of manuscripts regarding intervention studies that test the acceptability and feasibility and /or efficacy/effectiveness of (potentially) scalable psychological/behavioral approaches, including but not limited to digital solutions, community approaches and peer support. Of particular interest are submissions from/executed in low and middle income countries (LMIC) in type 1 and/or type 2 or gestational diabetes. The studies may include different designs:

- Qualitative research into potentially scalable psychological/behavioral interventions
- Pilot tests (acceptability, feasibility, preferences)
- Pre-post intervention studies
- Randomized Controlled Trials
- Single Case Experiments (SCE)
- Cost-effectiveness studies

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Diabetes, mental well-being, wellbeing, anxiety, depression, diabetes distress, eating disorders and/or sexual health

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.