REAL-T Study: RCT of diabetes management intervention, 2019-2025

Evaluation of a Complex Behavioral Intervention for Young Adults with Diabetes: The Resilient, Empowered, Active Living-Telehealth (REAL-T) Study sought to address the unmet self-management and psychosocial needs of young adults (YAs) with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The purpose of REAL-T was threefold: (1) to evaluate the efficacy of the REAL intervention as administered via telehealth (REAL-T), in improving glycemic control (HbA1c) and psychosocial outcomes; (2) to examine the extent to which beneficial intervention effects are retained over a 6-month follow-up period; and (3) to investigate the mediating mechanisms responsible for the intervention’s effects. We conducted a large-scale RCT (n=209) to compare REAL-T to usual care in improving glycemic control (HbA1c and continuous glucose monitor-derived measures), psychosocial well-being, and hypothesized intervention mediators. In addition, we performed health economic analyses to determine the extent to which REAL-T was cost-effective or produced cost savings.