CUlturally Sensitive TOols and Methods for Ethnic Minorities (CUSTOM): Building Bridges Between Theory and Practice in Diabetes Self-management Education and Support

The CUSTOM research project represents a complex intervention. The project aim of the intervention is, through the delivery of culturally sensitive DSMES, to support ethnic minorities with type 2 diabetes in making health-promoting decisions about their care and gaining insight into their goals, values and motivation to improve their daily diabetes self-management. The target group comprises ethnic minorities whose native language is Arabic, Urdu or Turkish. The intervention has been developed in collaboration with the target group and health care professionals from Centre for Diabetes (CfD) in Copenhagen Municipality.

CUSTOM will explore feasibility and effectiveness of the intervention including the mechanisms through which outcomes occur and contexts where outcomes are likely to be replicable. The intervention builds on the framework of complex interventions(26), and is designed as an pragmatic randomised controlled trial in three arms.

Focus on fidelity, appropriateness and acceptability of the developed intervention.

• What factors and structures are necessary to facilitate DSMES access and retention among the target group?
• Which methods and tools supporting diabetes decision making and problem solving are acceptable and feasible among the target group?
• What educational strategies promote Health Care Professionals' (HCPs') communication with the target group?

Focus on exploring effectiveness of the intervention, the mechanisms through which outcomes occur and contexts where outcomes are likely to be replicable.