A manualized occupational therapy intervention resulted in better blood glucose control and diabetes-related quality of life (QOL) than did a standard intervention in patients with diabetes and low socioeconomic status, according to a study involving 81 individuals. Participants were aged an average of ~23 years and had type 1 or 2 diabetes and a mean HbA1c of 10.8%. They were randomly assigned to receive the REAL intervention (biweekly sessions and 7 content modules) or standardized educational materials and biweekly phone calls. Data was assessed blindly at baseline and 6 months. Investigators looked at HbA1c, diabetes self-care, QOL, diabetes distress, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction. Among the results:

• Patients in the REAL group showed an average drop in HbA1c of 0.57%, vs a 0.36% increase in the contingent receiving the standard intervention.
• QOL score improved by 0.70 and 0.15 points, respectively.
• Habit strength for checking blood glucose improved by 3.9 and 1.7 points, respectively.
• Other outcomes did not differ significantly.