554 Co-developing and mobilizing new Type 2 diabetes guidelines for immigrants and refugees

Abstract PTH 4: Mental Health and Refugees 2, B307 (FCSH), September 4, 2025, 14:00 - 14:48 Aims: This knowledge mobilization project aimed to identify unique barriers and facilitators to new Type 2 Diabetes (DM) guidelines for immigrants and refugees. DM, along with related conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and obesity, is rising worldwide, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities, including many migrant groups. For example, disease rates are highest in populations coming from the Middle East, India and China. Our review considers recent studies on diabetes prevention and care, specifically lifestyle interventions and emerging therapies. Our review focused on new immigrants and refugees, primary care practices, emerging trends, and equity considerations. Methods: We conducted an evidence review on DM and drafted new guidelines for immigrants and refugees. We sought recent high-quality umbrella reviews and updated these reviews with the most recent systematic reviews. Our guidelines focused on diet, exercise and medical therapy for DM. Then, using an international refugee health preconference, we presented these new guidelines to patient advocates, international health graduates, and primary care practitioners. We used sequential, small group discussions considering the GRADE FACE Implementation approach, discussing feasibility, acceptability, equity and equity implications for newcomer populations and their primary care practitioners. Results: We presented our draft DM guidelines to 51 participants, representing 14 countries, and including nurses, dieticians, psychologists, pharmacists and family physicians. Most of our participants were somewhat aware of emerging diabetes guidelines, but none had thus far mobilized this knowledge to their communities. Discussions identified many barriers to culturally and linguistically isolated populations, including communication, travel, and financial and food security issues. Diet and exercise were recognized as an important starting point, an opportunity to begin discussing the lifestyles of newly arriving populations. Conclusion: Diabetes is a cardiometabolic chronic disease pandemic, and our guideline discussions clearly showed the importance of cultural safety and awareness, and informed equity considerations.