# Mobile Phone Support for Adults and Support Persons to Live Well with Diabetes

> **NIH NIH R01** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2022 · $686,140

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
For adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D), daily performance of self-care behaviors improves glycemic control and prevents
complications and premature mortality. However, sustained self-care remains highly challenging and high diabetes
distress is common. Family members and friends can either reinforce or undermine patients’ self-care, and many
experience distress about not knowing how to best support the patient’s self-care efforts. Although engaging family/friend
support persons may be a highly effective way to improve T2D outcomes, this has rarely been investigated. To address
these problems, we developed FAMS, a mobile phone-delivered intervention including telephonic coaching focused on
improving social support and self-care goals plus text message support for patients, and text messages for their adult
support person. Our pilot study demonstrates that FAMS is acceptable, feasible, improves the support patients receive,
and that it likely improves self-care. To move this promising line of research forward, we now propose the following
specific aims: Aim 1: Expand and improve FAMS. We will build on our pilot study by: (a) expanding FAMS content
beyond diet and physical activity to include regimen-tailored medication adherence strategies, (b) extending its interactive
text message functionality to support persons, and (c) enhancing its goal-setting element by incorporating evidence-based
diabetes education materials. This will be achieved through iterative user-centered testing to identify and resolve content,
technical, research process and usability issues. Aim 2: Evaluate FAMS 2.0 effects on T2D patients’ outcomes. We will
conduct an RCT with 334 patient-support person dyads (~50% cohabitating) to evaluate the effects of the expanded
FAMS 2.0 intervention versus an attention control (print materials on T2D self-care and access to A1c results) on long-
term glycemic control (primary outcome) and psychosocial well-being (secondary outcome). Adults with T2D and
baseline A1c>7.5% will be identified and recruited via the Mid-South Clinical Data Research Network and will enroll
with a support person. We will oversample patients of racial/ethnic minority background or who have low socioeconomic
status. Randomization will be performed within binomial strata defined by A1c and distress. The 15-month study timeline
will consist of a 9-month intervention period with a 6-month follow-up to evaluate sustained effects. We will also assess
key process measures including coaching fidelity and text message response rates. Aim 3: Explore FAMS 2.0 effects on
support persons. We will evaluate whether support persons assigned to FAMS 2.0 experience greater improvements in
their own support burden and psychosocial well-being than those assigned to control. Aim 4: Examine hypothesized
moderators and mediators of the effects specified in Aims 2 and 3. We will evaluate whether effects on patients and
their support persons vary by gender and dyadic cohab...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10381637
- **Project number:** 5R01DK119282-04
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Lindsay S. Mayberry
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $686,140
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-15 → 2023-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10381637

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10381637, Mobile Phone Support for Adults and Support Persons to Live Well with Diabetes (5R01DK119282-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10381637. Licensed CC0.

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