Effectiveness of educational and behavioural interventions for reducing fear of hypoglycaemia among adults with type 1 diabetes: Systematic review and meta-analyses

AimsTo summarize and critically appraise evidence regarding the effectiveness of educational and/or behavioural interventions in reducing fear of hypoglycaemia among adults with type 1 diabetes. MethodsSystematic searches of medical and psychology databases were conducted. Risk-of-bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools. Data were synthesized using random-effects meta-analyses for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and narrative synthesis for observational studies. ResultsFive RCTs (N = 682) and seven observational studies (N = 1519) met the inclusion criteria, reporting on behavioural, structured education and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions. Most studies assessed fear of hypoglycaemia using the Hypoglycaemia Fear Survey Worry (HFS-W) and Behaviour (HFS-B) subscales. Mean fear of hypoglycaemia at baseline was relatively low across studies. Meta-analyses showed a significant effect of interventions on HFS-W (SMD = -0.17, p = 0.032) but not on HFS-B scores (SMD = -0.34, p = 0.113). Across RCTs, Blood Glucose Awareness Training (BGAT) had the largest effect on HFS-W and HFS-B scores, and one CBT-based program was as effective as BGAT in reducing HFS-B scores. Observational studies showed that Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating (DAFNE) was associated with significant fear of hypoglycaemia reductions. ConclusionsCurrent evidence suggests that educational and behavioural interventions can reduce fear of hypoglycaemia. However, no study to date has examined these interventions among people with high fear of hypoglycaemia.