Stanford Report, October 4, 2006

Online workshop teaches how to manage diabetes

People with type-2 diabetes can learn life skills for daily management of their disease during a free online workshop and study.

The workshop—"Self-management @ Stanford: Healthier living with diabetes"—lasts for six weeks. After completion, participants will be followed for two years as part of a study to see how effective the Internet can be in helping them learn to manage diabetes.

The program aims to reach people who are unable to attend community classes or who might be discouraged from an in-person gathering. Participants need to be adults with type-2 diabetes, who have Internet access and an active e-mail account. The study is organized by the Patient Education Research Center.

During the six weekly workshops, two facilitators, who also have diabetes, will moderate online groups of about 25 people. Participants are asked to log on at their convenience two or three times each week for a total of less than two hours weekly. Sessions are highly interactive through e-mail, messaging and online discussion boards, but participants do not need to log on at the same time.

To register, go to http://diabetes.stanford.edu. For more information, call (800) 366-2624 or e-mail diabetes@med.stanford.edu.