REACHOUT is a mobile app which delivers peer-led mental health support to adults with type 1 diabetes. The mobile app has three support features:~One-on-one support delivered by a Peer Supporter~Peer Supporters are adults with type 1 diabetes who will be trained on providing support to other adults with type 1 diabetes on the app (the participants). Participants will be able to go through the peer supporter library, review their profiles, and choose their peer supporter.~Group support delivered via a 24/7 chat room~Peer Supporters and participants on the app will be able to chat 24/7 in the chat room about any topic ranging from feedback on new devices to traveling with diabetes. The chat room is monitored by healthcare professionals including a registered nurse and registered psychologist.~Face to face support delivered via virtual happy hours~Virtual happy hours are educational presentations/discussions led by either a Peer Supporter or healthcare professional on topics related to diabetes.~Participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention group or the wait-list control group. The intervention group will be given access to the mobile app right away and the wait-list control group will be given access to the mobile app after six months.~The intervention is 6 months long. All participants and Peer Supporters will go through an assessment at the start and end of the program. The assessment includes a blood draw to measure hemoglobin A1c, and questionnaires measuring diabetes distress, perceived social support, depressive symptoms, resilience, quality of life, and costs related to diabetes. There will also be questionnaires throughout the program including at 1-month and 3-months. Participants and Peer Supporters who own a Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor (CGM) will be asked if they would like to share their CGM data.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of participation in a 6-month peer-led mental health support program, delivered via a mobile app (REACHOUT), to adults with type 1 diabetes compared to a wait-list control condition. Participants will connect with a Peer-Supporter (an adult with type 1 diabetes trained in providing mental health support), and have access to the app features including a 24/7 chat room and face-to-face support delivered via virtual happy hours.