Residents in Milton Keynes who have type 2 diabetes might be able to participate in the ACTIVATE study, which makes use of wearable technology to assist control the condition.
The Milton Keynes Activity Reward Programme, which uses wearable technology and financial incentives to encourage people with type 2 diabetes to be more physically active in order to improve their health, will be evaluated for cost-effectiveness and efficacy as part of the ACTIVATE study.
The study began recruiting participants this year and is being run out of Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation trust (MKUH) by a group of researchers from MKUH, primary care, Milton Keynes City Council, and Loughborough University.
A randomised controlled trail will be used to evaluate the programme’s efficacy. Participants in the experiment will be assigned at random to either join the reward programme immediately, or in a years’ time.
Around the time of their annual diabetes review, Milton Keynes residents with type 2 diabetes who may be eligible to participate in the study will get an invitation to from their GP. To be eligible for the study, residents must fulfil specific requirements and not all MK residents with type 2 diabetes will receive an invitation. For instance, participants must be able to engage in physical activity and either own or have access to an iPhone running on iOS 15 or higher.
Patients will be required to utilise the iPhone Exi app in order to participate in the reward programme. They will then be provided with an Apple watch, which tracks and measures the heart rate and activity levels to help ensure they are exercising at the appropriate level for their health. On a weekly basis, the app will provide a customised physical activity prescription or goal for each participant.
Participants that achieve and complete their prescription will receive points, which they can exchange for gift cards and vouchers. If participants meet all of their physical activities and goals, they could receive up to £365 worth of financial rewards each year. Through the Exi Community Group, participants will be able to monitor their progress and communicate with other participants of the study. The incentive scheme is run and managed by Exi.
Ian Reckless, Medical Director at MKUH told MKFM, “Being active most days is one of the best things people can do for their health. For people with diabetes exercise has many benefits including helping to manage blood sugar levels, prevent heart disease and improve sleep. Most people living with diabetes want more control of their lives and this study is a huge opportunity to improve the quality of life for residents of Milton Keynes.”
If you would like to part, you can also express your interest in participating by completing a questionnaire and eligibility criteria here.
