What are some potential areas of research in diabetes?

Guidance for Conducting Diabetes Research

Start by involving people with diabetes from the very beginning—before you even finalize your study design—to ensure your research addresses problems that actually matter to patients and will improve their quality of life. 1

Core Research Areas to Consider

Diabetes research encompasses multiple domains that directly impact morbidity, mortality, and quality of life:

Clinical and Therapeutic Research

• Cure-focused investigations: Research aimed at finding definitive cures for diabetes, particularly prevalent in type 1 diabetes research communities 1
• Management improvement studies: Development of better treatments, technologies, and medications that reduce complications and disease burden—this includes insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors, automated insulin delivery systems, and novel pharmacologic agents 1
• Cardiovascular outcomes: Studies examining how glycemic control affects cardiovascular events, mortality, and long-term complications 1
• Technology development: Digital health applications, continuous glucose monitoring systems, and insulin delivery devices that are rapidly evolving 1

Psychosocial and Behavioral Research

This is critically important and often overlooked: Research examining the social, psychosocial, behavioral, and emotional aspects of living with diabetes 1

• Diabetes is never just about metrics—it profoundly affects mental health, daily functioning, and overall quality of life 1
• Studies addressing diabetes stigma, language use, and patient empowerment 1

Prevention and Screening Research

• Identifying modifiable risk factors including insulin resistance, obesity, physical inactivity, and dietary factors 2
• Developing effective screening protocols for high-risk populations 1
• Outcome studies to determine screening effectiveness 1

Essential Steps for Conducting Patient-Centered Research

1. Early Patient Involvement (Before Study Design)

Involve patients with diabetes before you establish your study design—if you haven't done this yet, you're already behind. 1

• Ask yourself: Is this research actually going to be of interest or benefit to people with diabetes? 1
• Is the problem you're trying to solve actually a problem for patients? 1

2. Establish Meaningful Patient Advisory Committees

Create properly funded and respected patient advisory committees—not just tick-box exercises 1:

• Provide adequate funding for travel, accommodation, and expenses 1
• Pay honoraria or hourly rates to compensate patient advisors for their time and expertise 1
• Be explicit about what you expect committee members to do and which project aspects they'll influence 1
• Remember that patient advisory committee members are volunteering their time and deserve proper compensation 1

3. Use Respectful, Empowering Language

Refer to "participants" not "subjects"—language matters profoundly 1:

• Consult language position statements from diabetes organizations 1
• Use supportive, empowering, positive, and encouraging terminology 1
• People with diabetes are more likely to participate when they feel respected 1

4. Communicate Your Research Effectively

Tell the story in plain language that connects to patients' daily lives 1:

• Explain how laboratory or animal research links to real-world patient benefits 1
• Avoid repeatedly citing mouse studies without explaining human relevance—patients find this exhausting 1
• Practice your "elevator pitch" in 280 characters or less (Twitter-length) to hone clarity 1
• Use plain language statements, but go beyond them to find nuanced, targeted communication methods 1

Be transparent about participant requirements 1:

• Clearly state time commitments 1
• Specify locations and travel requirements 1
• Honestly describe any invasive procedures and discomfort levels 1

5. Maintain Ongoing Communication

Provide regular follow-up after participation ends—this is a common complaint from research participants 1:

• Send regular updates through newsletters or social media 1
• Keep participants informed about study progress and findings 1
• This is especially critical if recruiting for future study phases 1

Addressing Research Funding Challenges

Diabetes receives disproportionately less funding than conditions like cancer and cardiovascular disease 1:

• In Australia, only 16 diabetes grants worth $13.5 million were awarded compared to 69 cancer grants worth $52.9 million 1
• This funding gap may stem from diabetes being falsely portrayed as a "preventable, self-inflicted condition" 1

Work with patients to tell compelling stories 1:

• Humanize diabetes research—avoid media portrayals of "headless overweight bodies" that perpetuate stigma 1
• Help patients share their stories to demonstrate why your research matters 1
• Emphasize how your work will improve lives and reduce burden for people with diabetes 1

Research Offers Hope

Research sells hope—and people with diabetes depend on it 1:

• Patients want to be part of discoveries that promise better lives 1
• They want involvement in research that will help them achieve improved outcomes 1
• Frame your work around reducing burden, improving outcomes, and making diabetes management easier 1

Modern Research Methodologies

Consider digital cohort studies that incorporate web-based data and connected devices 1:

• These allow wider data use across multiple projects 1
• Implement structured patient participation at all research stages 1
• Include both passive participation (surveys, idea generation) and active involvement (workshops, focus groups, collaborative work) 1

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Don't treat patient involvement as a checkbox exercise—make it meaningful and compensated 1
• Don't abandon participants after data collection—maintain communication throughout 1
• Don't use stigmatizing language or imagery—this undermines recruitment and perpetuates harm 1
• Don't assume your research question matters to patients—verify this early through patient consultation 1