Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a common complication affecting 9-26% of pregnancies worldwide. GDM doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) (i.e. heart disease) and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) after delivery by up to 10-fold. Non-White ethnicities and lower socioeconomic status further increase the risk of CVD and T2DM. Screening and lifestyle intervention effectively prevents CVD and T2DM in women after GDM, but my work on reducing cardiometabolic risk in women after GDM found different levels of engagement in health services by ethnicity. This study will investigate inequities (i.e. unfairness) in a state-wide lifestyle program, Life!, in the care of preventing CVD and T2DM in women who had gestational diabetes. This will be undertaken in three stages: 1) an audit of the program will investigate the effect of social conditions on CVD and T2DM prevention in women with prior GDM, 2) co-design equitable health service changes with Diabetes Victoria, 3) develop an implementation and evaluation plan.
Last updated17 January 2023