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Background: Nationally, Indigenous Australians are more likely to have diabetes and diabetic retinopathy (DR) than non‐Indigenous Australians. However, the prevalence of DR and impaired vision in regional primary care settings is unclear. Aim: To describe the prevalence and severity of DR and presenting vision level among Indigenous Australian adults with diabetes attending an indigenous primary care clinic in regional Australia. Methods: Participants underwent nurse‐led retinal imaging and DR screening with offsite retinal grading in the integrated Diabetes Education and Eye Screening (iDEES) project implemented at a regional indigenous primary healthcare setting between January 2018 and March 2020. Results: Of 172 eligible adults, 135 (79%) were recruited and screened for DR and vision level. The median age was 56 (46–67) years, 130 (96%) had type 2 diabetes of median (interquartile range) duration 6 (2–12) years and 48 (36%) were male. Images from 132 (97.8%) participants were gradable. DR was present in 38 (29%) participants: mild non‐proliferative in 33 (25%); moderate–severe in three (2.5%); and sight‐threatening two (1.5%). Subnormal presenting vision was present in 33%. Conclusions: A nurse‐led model of care integrating diabetes eye screening and education at a single visit was successful at recruiting Indigenous Australian adults with diabetes, screening their vision and acquiring a high rate of gradable images. Even for a short duration of known diabetes, DR was present in three out of 10 patients screened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have higher rates of diabetes and its complications than non‐Aboriginal people. Rumbalara Aboriginal Co‐operative is the major primary healthcare provider for Aboriginal people in the Greater Shepparton region. Aims: To evaluate the baseline metabolic parameters and presence of diabetes complications in people with type 2 diabetes attending Rumbalara Aboriginal Co‐operative in 2017 and compare it with other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies and Australian specialist diabetes services. Methods: Clinical and biochemical characteristics, including diabetes type, age, weight, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, micro‐ and macrovascular complications, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), haemoglobin, renal function, lipid profile, urine albumin:creatinine ratio, diabetes medications, renin angiotensin system inhibition therapies, HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitors and antiplatelet agents, were determined. Results: One hundred and twenty‐six individuals had diabetes, 121 had type 2 diabetes. One hundred and thirteen identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Median age was 57.5 (48–68) years, median HbA1c was 7.8% (6.8–9.6) and median BMI was 33.4 kg/m2 (29–42.3). Compared with other Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations, this population was older and had more obesity, but with better glycaemia management. Compared with specialist diabetes services, this population was of similar age, with greater BMI but comparable HbA1c. Conclusions: Aboriginal people living with type 2 diabetes attending this regional Aboriginal health service have comparable glycaemic management to specialist diabetes services in Australia, managed largely by primary care physicians with limited access to specialist care for the past 5 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim was to describe vascular risk factors in Australian adults with diabetes attending an Indigenous primary care nurse‐led diabetes clinic. Design: This was a cross‐sectional descriptive single‐site study. Methods: Vascular risk factor data were extracted from the electronic health records of participants in the nurse‐led integrated Diabetes Education and Eye disease Screening (iDEES) study at a regional Victorian Indigenous primary health‐care clinic between January 2018 and March 2020. Results: Of 172 eligible adults, 135 (79%) provided data. Median (IQR) age was 56 (46–67) years; 89% were Indigenous; 95% had Type 2 diabetes of median (IQR) duration of 6 (2–12) years and 48 (36%) were male. Median HbA1c, blood pressure, cholesterol (total; LDL and HDL), triglycerides, eGFR, CRP and BMI were 8.0% (64 mmol/mol), 127/78 mm Hg, 4.2; 1.9; 1.1 mmol/L, 2.3 mmol/L, 89 ml/min/1.73 m2, 7.0 mg/L and 32.4 kg/m2. Of nine clinical risk factors, the median (IQR) number of risk factors at target was 4 (3–5) for women and 3 (2–5) for men, pχ2 = 0.563. Clinical targets for BMI, HbA1c, blood pressure, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, urine albumin: creatinine ratio, HDL cholesterol and smoking were met by 14%, 34%, 38%, 39%, 44%, 52%, 54%, 62% and 64%, respectively. Conclusion: A nurse‐led model of integrated clinical risk factor assessment and diabetes education identified suboptimal levels of clinical risk factor control for avoiding diabetes chronic complications amongst Australian adults with diabetes in an Indigenous primary care setting. Impact A nurse‐led model of diabetes care integrating clinical risk factor assessment into a diabetes education service is achievable. Understanding by stakeholders, including people with diabetes, their clinicians and health services, of the importance of regular monitoring of risk factors impacting diabetes complications is important. The novel nurse‐managed iDEES primary‐care model of care can assist. Trial registration: This study was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618001204235). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To determine eye screening coverage and adherence to national eye screening recommendations of a nurse‐led retinal image‐based model of diabetes education and eye screening in Indigenous primary care clinics. Design A pre‐post study. Methods: During January 2018–March 2020 Indigenous Australians with diabetes at three regional Australian clinics were offered eye screening by a nurse‐diabetes educator/retinal imager. At the main site the nurse recruited/scheduled participants, and at satellite sites local clinic staff did so. Visual acuity was tested and digital retinal images acquired and graded. Participants were offered rescreening at or before 12‐months based on baseline results. Results: In total 203 adults with diabetes attending Indigenous primary care clinics were screened, with divergent results based on the recruitment methods. At the main clinic 135 of 172 eligible adults (79%) were screened. At the satellite sites, 15 of 85 (18%) and 21 of 77 (27%) diabetes patients were screened. Combined coverage 51%. Conclusion: A credentialed nurse‐educator implemented a model of retinal image‐based diabetes education, measured eye screening coverage and adherence to national eye screening guidelines, met the 'acceptable 75% eye screening coverage' benchmark and improved patient eye screening guideline adherence at the one site where the nurse‐educator had access to patient recruitment and scheduling. Impact This novel nurse‐led primary care iDEES model of retinal image‐based diabetes education can improve the currently low Indigenous diabetes eye screening coverage in Australia. Importantly, the nurse‐managed iDEES model of integrated diabetes care is readily adaptable to other settings and populations where access to and/or uptake of eye care is suboptimal. Clinical Trial Registration: ANZCTRN1261800120435. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the prevalence of modifiable health‐risk behaviours among Indigenous Australian adults with diabetes attending a regional Victorian Indigenous primary‐care clinic. Design: A cross‐sectional observational single‐site study. Methods: As part of a multi‐study project we administered the Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol consumption, Physical activity and Emotional wellbeing (SNAPE) survey tool during the study baseline visit to methodically capture health‐related behavioural data in the nurse‐led integrated Diabetes Education and Eye Screening (iDEES) project in a regional Indigenous primary healthcare setting between January 2018 and March 2020. This descriptive SNAPE study helps address the lack of health behaviour data for Indigenous people with diabetes. Results: Of 172 eligible adults, 135 (79%) were recruited to the iDEES study, 50 (37%) male. All participated in at least one survey. Median (range) age was 56 (46–67) years; 130 (96%) had Type 2 diabetes of median [IQR] duration 6 (2–12) years. All 135 provided smoking data; 88 (65%) completed all surveys. Forty‐nine (36%) and 29 (22%) were current or former smokers, respectively; 5 (6%) met vegetable intake guidelines, 22 (25%) met fruit intake guidelines; 38 [43%] drank alcohol in the past year. On average, participants walked for ≥10 min at a time 4 days/week and sat for an average of 8 h on weekdays; 35 (40%) had minimal‐mild, and 30 (34%) had moderate‐severe depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Suboptimal modifiable health‐risk behaviours and depressive symptoms are common in Indigenous Australian adults with diabetes. Impact: Orderly assessment and reporting of health‐risk behaviours using a single multi‐component survey instrument (SNAPE tool) during a nurse‐led diabetes education clinical visit is feasible and efficient. Such data may facilitate personalised interventions and improve diabetes management at both individual and health service levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) prevalence is higher in Indigenous Australians than in other Australians and is a major cause of vision loss. Consequently, timely screening and treatment is paramount, and annual eye screening is recommended for Indigenous Australians. Aims: To assess the prevalence of DR, reduced vision and DR treatment coverage among Indigenous Australian adults with diabetes attending Top End indigenous primary care health services. Methods: A cross-sectional DR screening study conducted from November 2013 to December 2015 in two very remote Northern Territory Aboriginal primary healthcare services. Results: In 287 subjects, the prevalence of non-proliferative DR, proliferative DR and clinically significant diabetic macular oedema was 37.3%, 5.4% and 9.0% respectively. Treatment coverage for PDR was 60% (of 10 patients) and for CSMO was 17% (of 23 patients). Vision data were available from 122 participants at one site. The proportion with normal vision, reduced vision, impaired vision and blindness was 31.1%, 52.5%, 15.6% and 0.8% respectively. Overall, ungradable monocular image sets (46%) were associated with poorer quality images and missing protocol images (both P < 0.001). Ungradable images for DR were associated with presence of small pupils/media opacities (P < 0.001). Ungradable images for diabetic macular oedema were associated with poorer image quality (P < 0.001), cataracts (P < 0.001) and small pupils (P = 0.04). Conclusions: A high prevalence of DR, CSMO and impaired vision was noted in Indigenous Australians with diabetes. Screening in primary care is feasible, but more effective screening methods are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To improve diabetes management in Indigenous Australians using an integrated nurse‐led model of diabetes education and eye screening in indigenous primary care and specialist diabetes clinics. Design: A pre–post study. Methods: This study will be implemented in indigenous primary care and specialist diabetes clinics in Victoria, Australia. Participants recruited to the study will be existing adult patient with diagnosed diabetes attending study sites. A nurse‐credentialled diabetes educator and certified retinal imager will deliver three study components: (a) retinal photography as a diabetic retinopathy screening and patient engagement tool; (b) lifestyle and behaviour surveys, administered at baseline and at the final visit, in 12 months. Findings from the surveys and participants' retinal images will be used to guide; and (c) personalized diabetes education. The primary outcomes are participant adherence to diabetic eye screening recommendations and health service diabetic retinopathy screening coverage. Secondary outcomes are baseline DR prevalence and changes in clinical and lifestyle risk factor levels, diabetes knowledge and satisfaction with diabetes care. Discussion: Compared with non‐indigenous Australians, Indigenous Australians have a high prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and blindness, low adherence to eye screening recommendations and suboptimal health literacy. Nurse‐credentialled diabetes educators can be trained to incorporate retinal imaging and eye screening into their clinical practice to give image‐based diabetes education to facilitate diabetic retinopathy management. Impact: Credentialled nurse diabetes educators who integrate eye screening and diabetes education can facilitate timelier diabetic retinopathy screening, referral pathways and treatment of sight‐threatening retinopathy. We believe that this model of integrated diabetes education and eye screening will also improve adherence to eye screening recommendations, population screening coverage, health literacy, risk factor levels and diabetes self‐care. Clinical Trial Registration: ANZCTRN1261800120435. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As diabetes occurs in all ethnicities and regions it is essential that retinopathy screening be widely available. Screening rates are lower in Indigenous than in non‐Indigenous Australians. Technological advances and Medicare rebates should facilitate improved outcomes. Use of non‐ophthalmic clinicians, (general practitioners, diabetes educators, health‐workers and endocrinologists) to supplement coverage by ophthalmologists and optometrists would extend retinopathy screening capacity. Diabetes educators are an integral part of diabetes management. Integrating ocular screening and diabetes education in primary care settings has potential to improve synergistically retinopathy screening coverage, patient self‐management, risk factor control, care satisfaction, health economics and sustainability of under‐resourced services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]