Peer Support in the Management of Diabetes to Improve Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)

Abstract

Diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) contribute to significant morbidity and mortality in low-resource settings. Living with diabetes can be overwhelming, isolating, and exhausting, even in settings of resource availability and health care access, while the psychosocial burden of living with diabetes and CVD can be exacerbated by an increased burden of social determinants of health in low-resource settings. Diabetes and CVD care heavily rely on self-management, and health care professionals are now recognizing the importance of peer support in supporting healthy behaviors, psychosocial well-being, and improved clinical outcomes. However, there is currently a lack of consistency in how peer support programs are defined, implemented, and evaluated.