Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can result
in a number of adverse outcomes for both mother and baby, some of which may be
long term. Women with GDM have a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes later in life. Furthermore,
affected babies have an increased risk of obesity, glucose intolerance and
diabetes in late adolescence and young adulthood.
With evidence showing the prevalence of GDM increasing over the past 10 years,
more efforts have been made to recommend lifestyle changes to prevent and treat
GDM, such as diet and exercise. Although research shows that GDM can be
effectively managed by lifestyle modification, there appear to be limited
options for culturally tailored lifestyle modification interventions.
Systematic reviews suggest that tailoring education to the cultural background
of patients with Type 2 diabetes is important1. Women with GDM from
different cultural backgrounds may therefore vary in their acceptance of
lifestyle modification advice, which may result in poorer outcomes.
Aims:
To provide evidence to support our hypothesis “CALD Women
with GDM will have better maternal and perinatal outcomes when they are
provided with culturally tailored education in lifestyle modification as
compared to non-culturally tailored education”.
Methods:
Three stages of research are proposed:
Stage 1: To investigate differences in maternal and perinatal outcomes for
women from different CALD backgrounds attending a specialist public hospital
antenatal clinic.
Stage 2: To investigate the basis for these cultural differences using
qualitative methods.
Stage 3:Using results from stage 2, to design and implement culturally tailored
education for GDM women from CALD backgrounds, and measure its effectiveness.
Potential outcomes:
An evidence based and effective educational program in lifestyle modifications
for women with GDM that can be delivered in a range of community and hospital
based health care settings.