Targeting cognitive function: Development of a cognitive training intervention for diabetes.
Heather E Cuevas, Alexa K Stuifbergen, Sharon A Brown
PMID 32030848WHAT IT FOUND
Nurse-led classes, booster calls, and home computer training for adults with type 2 diabetes were feasible to run but hard to recruit, and 32% strongly agreed the time burden was high.
It is not evidence that the programme improves cognition or diabetes control.
Key findings
01Ten adults with type 2 diabetes were interviewed to adapt the programme; they said they could adhere to a 6 to 8 week intervention, but not weekly classes, and several wanted an online course.
02At baseline, perceived executive function scores were significantly correlated with diabetes self-management activities for diet, exercise, foot care, and high-fat food eating, while A1C was not significantly correlated with cognitive variables.
03The programme was acceptable to many participants, but time burden and recruitment were problems: 74% wanted to continue using the strategies, 32% strongly agreed the time burden was high, and enrollment averaged one person per 12 days.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 19 participants had baseline data, so this cannot show whether the programme works. There was no control group or randomisation; participants were assigned to locations by geographic convenience. Most outcomes were self-report, and the authors chose self-report because neuropsychiatric tests require specialized training. Recruitment was difficult, and the exact starting number is unclear because the paper states 19 consented but also says one withdrawal left final sample size 19 instead of 20. The paper reports development, baseline relationships, and acceptability, not post-intervention efficacy outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that MAPSS-DM improves cognition, self-management, or A1C. The paper reports a small nurse-led development and feasibility study with baseline relationships and acceptability ratings, not a controlled test of outcomes.