Online learning zone launched by Diabetes UK

A new digital tool has been launched by Diabetes UK to help people understand more about the condition and how to manage it.

It comes after a survey revealed nearly half of the UK public (48 per cent) did not know that diabetes can cause erectile dysfunction, a common diabetes-related complication.

The poll of more than 2,000 UK adults, carried out by YouGov on behalf of Diabetes UK, also showed that nearly half of respondents (45 per cent) did not know if more people in the UK have diabetes than cancer and dementia combined, while one in 10 said they did not know whether people with diabetes can consume any sugar at all.

The findings mark the launch of the charity’s self-management education platform, ‘Learning Zone’, which aims to help people understand more about diabetes and how to manage it.

Kathryn Kirchner, Clinical Advisor at Diabetes UK, said: “On average, people with diabetes spend three hours a year with a healthcare professional. For the remaining 8,757 hours they manage their diabetes themselves. The lack of awareness around the impact it has on the body shapes people’s approach on how to self-manage.

“Diabetes self-management education can help anyone who has been diagnosed to stay healthy, live well and avoid debilitating complications. But, it can be hard to find trusted sources of information online that actually help people safely manage their condition.

“That’s why we created an innovative digital service to provide tailored and easy to understand advice that’s been clinically approved and grounded in the latest medical research.

“We hope that this is the start of a new era in diabetes education where online learning can be used alongside education courses to improve quality of life and reduce the risk of complications for people with the condition.”

People can access the Learning Zone, by clicking here.