Title of project

Co-Designing Culturally Responsive Psychosocial Diabetes Care for Adults from Non-Western migrant Backgrounds in Denmark

Abstract

In Denmark, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has more than doubled over the past 20 years, disproportionately affecting non-Western migrant populations. Adults of South Asian and Middle Eastern backgrounds, the country’s largest minority groups, experience T2D rates up to 19.8%, compared to 3.6% among native Danes, and face a fourfold increase in diabetes-related mortality. Challenges in diabetes management include cultural norms, language barriers, low health literacy, limited access to care, and lack of culturally competent healthcare. Misconceptions and suboptimal treatment adherence further exacerbate disparities. Culturally responsive psychosocial care, particularly for diabetes distress (DD), remains underdeveloped. DD, an emotional burden affecting up to 64% of adults with T2D, is linked to inadequate glycaemic control, reduced treatment, and higher risk of complications. While psychosocial interventions can reduce DD, most are not tailored to non-Western populations, particularly those with multimorbidity. Recent research, including a UK DD care pathway co-investigated by the applicant and host, highlights the need for participatory approaches that integrate lived experience and social context.

This Visiting Researcher project will build on this work for a Danish context, strengthening collaborations between King’s College London and the National Centre for Applied Research in Older Citizens with Multimorbidity (NAMU). The researcher will spend 30% of an 11-month period with Danish investigators, including four weekly visits and a one-month visit at NAMU. During this time, participatory co-design workshops will be conducted with adults with T2D and co-existing conditions from non-Western migrant populations, their families, and healthcare professionals to adapt components of the UK DD care pathway for the Danish population. The project will build on the applicants’ expertise in culturally sensitive psychological interventions and patient/public involvement (PPI), an area the applicant has led to develop in the UK. This expertise will guide the development of tailored care pathways. Alongside international and national collaborators, the project will support the integration of emotional wellbeing services into Danish municipal healthcare. Through joint research visits, knowledge exchange, PhD supervision, and funding initiatives, this work will build sustainable capacity to improve diabetes care for underserved populations in Denmark. Furthermore, it will strengthen NAMU’s national and international leadership in inclusive, evidence-based diabetes research.