“What does this mean for Wales?”
Summary
- This evaluation found that the AWDPP is effective in reducing progression to blood sugar levels associated with type 2 diabetes. The risk of progressing to living with diabetic blood sugar levels was reduced by 23 percent among those who were identified as having prediabetes and offered the [All Wales] diabetes prevention programme – a reduction comparable to that reported across other UK diabetes prevention studies (5,29–31)
- Most participants in the treatment group maintained or improved their blood sugar status (96%), in line with findings from the Afan Valley evaluation (99%) (5) and the NHS DPP (87.3%) (30)
- Those in the treatment group experienced a modest reduction in average blood sugar level. While smaller than reported in other evaluations in Wales (5-6) and England (32,33), the improvement still represents a positive clinical effect and may partly reflect differences in the intensity and delivery of the AWDPP compared with other UK programmes
- Findings from this study show the AWDPP’s ability to engage with priority populations (34), with a greater proportion of the treatment group being slightly younger and from more deprived areas
Limitations
- This study did not adjust for factors such as BMI or socioeconomic status, which are known to influence HbA1c outcomes (32,33)
- It also could not account for participants' involvement in other health programmes, such as the All Wales Weight Management Pathway, which may have affected results
- Reliance on retrospective HbA1c data from routine records may have introduced bias, as individuals who are tested more frequently could differ in health status
Conclusion
- Sustaining the availability and stability of the AWDPP throughout Wales has the potential to improve health
- The future development of robust data systems to track participants’ health outcomes over time, including key indicators such as HbA1c, weight and onward referral to other health services would help better understand the benefits to the wider health and care system, including potential healthcare savings