Survey seeks those with Type 2 diabetes

If you’re a Marylander over 65 years old who is living with Type 2 diabetes, Johns Hopkins researchers would like to hear from you.

The survey, called the Diabetes Care Network Study, hopes to determine how our family and friends interact with our healthcare network.

“We’re interested in seeing if that connection between family and friends and healthcare providers may be related to using services like urgent care or the emergency room,” said Catherine Clair, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“One of the great things about the survey is that if we’re looking at these groups and their connection, we can be more targeted in the future to help these folks,” she said.

Unlike a clinical trial, this study is simply a series of questions.

“There’s no medication or device. It’s just sitting down with a study team member,” Clair said. Researchers can either ask questions in person — at home or at the Hopkins campus in East Baltimore — or over the phone or Zoom.

The entire survey takes a little over an hour to complete. However, Clair said, “If that feels like a lot of time, we can do it [over] multiple sessions.”

After the survey is completed, participants will receive a $30 gift card to Target or Walmart.

People 65+ with Type 2 diabetes are eligible to participate unless they are currently living in a retirement community.

The survey enrollment period ends on December 9, but it’s only “the first step,” Clair said. She envisions future clinical trials that can help design programs to support people with Type 2 diabetes.

“Understanding what these care networks look like and their connections will help us better create programs and interventions that can actually help,” Clair said.

To find out more about the Diabetes Care Network Study, call (443) 885-0842.