The Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes

📣 New Research Opportunity

We’re inviting adults from around the world to share how they experience public health and awareness campaigns about cardiovascular disease or diabetes risk, and the risk of complications.

We’re interested in what makes campaigns feel engaging or motivating, and what may contribute to disengagement.

The findings will help inform more effective, accessible, and meaningful health communications about all types of diabetes!

To take part, visit: https://researchsurveys.deakin.edu.au/jfe/form/SV_2rVuehN5NbGcJKK

Diabetes Victoria | Deakin University | VIA Diabetes | diaTribe® | Dedoc Diabetes Online Community

What do resilience, optimism, and perceived control have to do with managing diabetes for older women? Check out our latest blog to find out: https://acbrd.org.au/2026/06/23/can-hidden-strengths-help-women-manage-type-2-diabetes-and-pre-diabetes/

🌈 Calling LGBTQIA+ people living with diabetes 🌈
Your experience matters.

Living with diabetes can affect more than physical health. It can also impact emotional wellbeing, stress, confidence, relationships, and mental health.

We know LGBTQIA+ communities can face extra challenges when it comes to healthcare, feeling understood, and accessing inclusive support. But these experiences are often missing from research.
That’s why we want to hear from you.

By taking part in the MIND-MAP study, you can help researchers better understand:
• The emotional side of living with diabetes
• What support LGBTQIA+ people need
• Barriers to getting help
• How diabetes services can become more inclusive and affirming

Your participation will help shape better mental health and diabetes support for LGBTQIA+ communities across Australia.

What’s involved?
• 4 short online surveys over 3 years
• About 20 minutes each
• Open to adults living in Australia with diabetes
• Chance to win 1 of 20 $100 e-gift cards

Help create more inclusive diabetes care for our communities: redcap.link/7f4ddset

June marks Pride Month, a time to celebrate the diversity, resilience and history of the LGBTQIA+ community. It also serves as a reminder of the ongoing importance of representation. While much progress has been made, many LGBTQIA+ individuals still face discrimination, and encounter obstacles accessing healthcare and inclusive support.

These experiences are often underrepresented in research, which is why we're reaching out to LGBTQIA+ people living with diabetes 🏳️‍🌈 We're committed to ensuring your perspectives are heard.

Take part in MIND-MAP, a national study exploring the emotional experiences of Australians living with diabetes. Together we can help shape the future of mental health and diabetes support for the LGBTQIA+ community across Australia.

🔗 redcap.link/7f4ddset
✉️ [email protected]
📲 Share this with your friends

Find out more: acbrd.org.au/join-the-mind-map-study/

Diabetes Victoria | Deakin University

We’re proud to celebrate Dr Edith Holloway, winner of the 2026 Early-Career Researcher Award at the Deakin Faculty of Health Partnerships in Practice Awards.

Edith was recognised for her incredible work in leading LISTEN - a scalable, evidence-based telehealth program that supports people living with diabetes to manage diabetes distress and emotional challenges.

Through the LISTEN trial, the program reduced diabetes distress by up to 40% and showed potential to save the health system more than $2.1 billion.

For more on LISTEN, watch Deakin's video: youtube.com/watch?v=aVKhVJvGn48

Diabetes Victoria | Deakin University

New blog from ACBRD: How are research methods keeping up with a rapidly changing world?

Our latest narrative review explores emerging qualitative and quantitative approaches in psychosocial diabetes research. From creative storytelling and digital tools to personalised data and “digital twins”, new methods are helping us understand and support people living with diabetes in more meaningful ways.

The emerging methods will help us develop more community driven and empathic approaches to diabetes care and benefit more people living with diabetes.

Read our blog post here https://acbrd.org.au/2026/05/28/how-can-our-research-keep-up-in-a-changing-world/

Diabetes Victoria | Deakin University | DiabeticMedicine

Do environmental concerns affect diabetes decision-making?

A recent European study asked people with diabetes what they think about the environmental impacts of diabetes, and whether this affects the diabetes devices they choose to use.

Check out our blog to find out more: https://acbrd.org.au/2026/05/13/waste-not-want-what/

Research into type 2 diabetes risk often focus on biomedical factors. A new UK “digital twin” study of nearly 20,000 people suggests we may be missing major drivers of risk.

Loneliness, sleep difficulties, or mental health problems are linked with a higher estimated risk of T2D. When these factors occurred together, the estimated risk increased even further.

These findings don’t mean these factors cause diabetes on their own, but they do highlight how strongly social and emotional wellbeing may be connected to metabolic health.

We break down what the digital twin data show - and why it matters: https://acbrd.org.au/2026/04/28/mental-health-sleep-and-social-connection-what-do-they-have-to-do-with-type-2-diabetes-risk/

One month ago, 200+ people from 40+ countries gathered in Jaipur, India with a shared mission: the first Global Summit to End Diabetes Stigma.

While the Summit marked only a single milestone in a longstanding global movement, it was a transformative event for the ACBRD and many others involved. One month on, we’ve taken time to reflect. Check out our two latest blogs:

1. Summit co-leads Jane Speight and Elizabeth Holmes-Truscott share their reflections on the Summit, its aftermath, where to next, and what it has set in motion. https://acbrd.org.au/2026/04/29/one-month-on-reflections-from-the-co-leads-on-the-global-summit-to-enddiabetesstigma/

2. Several of our staff and students share reflections on their experiences and learnings as attendees and contributors. Check out reflections from our ACBRD early career researchers: https://acbrd.org.au/2026/04/30/more-reflections-from-the-global-end-diabetes-stigma-summit/

We are very proud to have been a Visionary Partner (alongside Breakthrough T1D), co-leading the Summit, supported by an international Steering Committee and Summit Partners and Sponsors.

The ACBRD recently attended the National Diabetes Summit in Canberra. We heard from lived experience experts, health professionals, diabetes leaders, and more. Catch up on our key takeaways in the ACBRD blog: https://acbrd.org.au/2026/04/20/inside-the-national-diabetes-summit/

Diabetes Victoria | Deakin University | Diabetes Australia