Table 2 Overview of included studies
From: What works for whom in the management of diabetes in people living with dementia: a realist review
Focus | Methodological approach | Types of outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Diabetes AND dementia (n = 10)  • Clinical guidance on management of diabetes in PLWD  • Impact of dementia on self-management (SM)  • SM support for people with cognitive impairment (CI) |  • 3 literature reviews  • 1 controlled (not randomised) study  • 1 guideline  • 2 qualitative  • 1 description of a service  • 1 cross-sectional survey  • 1 mixed methods |  • Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c)  • Hypoglycaemia  • Impact of dementia on SM Note that only one study evaluated an intervention (Camp 2015) |
Dementia NOT diabetes (n = 31) Includes:  • SM support for PLWD  • Support for family carers  • Medication management  • Home-based support for PLWD (e.g. delivered by an occupational therapist)  • Cognitive rehabilitation | Study type  • 9 qualitative  • 9 systematic reviews  • 7 randomised controlled trials (RCTs, 3 papers report 1 study)  • 6 other | Patient outcomes include:  • Cognitive function  • SM-related behaviours such as knowledge and self-efficacy (but not diabetes focused)  • Quality of life  • Experiences and views  • Mood Carer outcomes include:  • Carer stress, burden, quality of life  • Experiences and views |
Diabetes NOT dementia (n = 32) Participants include older adults, those with complex health needs (comorbidity, frailty, etc.), people with mental illness and adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus Includes:  • Interventions related to improving SM (e.g. use of assistive technology (AT), SM support or decision aids)  • Better understanding the needs of people with diabetes |  • 5 guidelines  • 9 other (variety of study designs)  • 7 qualitative  • 5 RCTs  • 5 systematic reviews |  • Glycaemic control  • Patient knowledge, self-efficacy  • Diabetes self-care practices  • Feasibility and acceptability of interventions  • Quality of life  • Views and experiences |
Other (e.g. people with chronic illness, frail older people, people with multimorbidity or long-term condition) n = 15 Includes:  • SM support for conditions other than diabetes  • Service organisation  • Use of AT in older people |  • 5 qualitative  • 4 RCTs  • 1 systematic review  • 4 other |  • Views and experiences  • Self-care related outcomes (e.g. knowledge, self-efficacy)  • Use of AT |