The project, Diabfrail-Latam (Scaling-up of and evidence-based intervention programme in older people with Diabetes and Frailty in LatinAmerica) is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 825546.
It has been inspired by the aim of scaling-up an evidence-based programme for highly vulnerable older people with diabetes that has previously been duly assessed in seven EU countries (the MIDFRAIL study) in a highly vulnerable population in four countries (three Low and Middle Income Countries-LMICs and one High Income Country-HIC) in Latin-America.
The main objective of DIABFRAIL-LATAM is to scale-up a multi-modal intervention in subjects with type 2 diabetes Mellitus aged ≥ 65 years who are frail or pre-frail in terms of physical function and quality of life in comparison with usual clinical practice. This main objective can be divided into 3 main sub-objectives:
– To assess the effectiveness and clinical efficacy of the intervention, shown to be useful in a previous EU-funded project (MIDFRAIL), in a highly vulnerable population in four countries in Latin-America (Peru, Chile, Colombia and Mexico)
– To assess the feasibility (adherence, barriers, facilitating factors, economic evaluation) in different local settings (HIC vs LMICs; Urban vs rural; Primary care vs Hospital-based care)
– To develop scaling-up programmes for the countries participating in the project and, stemming from the findings in those countries, for the whole Latin-American and Caribbean region
The project began in January 2019 and Diabetes Frail, as a partner, has been involved in helping to develop the clinical trial programme and the training and educational schedules for all participating countries. It has also led on working with the Royal Holloway College in London (Prof Clare Bradley) to validate the ADDQoL Senioe quality of life questionnaire.
Update: the clinical trial in Latin American countries has been temporarily suspended because of Covid-19 but hopes to re-start once the effects of the pandemic in Latin America has subsided sufficiently.
| Partner | Country |
| PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION | United States |
| UNIVERSITA CATTOLICA DEL SACRO CUORE | Italy |
| DIABETES FRAIL LIMITED | United Kingdom |
| UNIVERSIDAD DE CASTILLA – LA MANCHA | Spain |
| CONFEDERACION ESPANOLA DE ORGANIZACIONES DE MAYORES CEOMA | Spain |
| PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD JAVERIANA | Colombia |
| PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE | Chile |
| INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE GERIATRIA | Mexico |
| UNIVERSIDAD SAN MARTIN DE PORRES ASOCIACION | Peru |
| CENTRO DE ENDOCRINOLOGIA Y DIABETES DR. RAUL A. GUTMAN SRL | Argentina |
| COLEGIO MAYOR DE NUESTRA SENORA DELROSARIO CORPORACION SIN ANIMO DE LUCRO | Colombia |
| UNIVERSIDAD DE SANTIAGO DE CHILE | Chile |