The Alberta's Caring for Diabetes (ABCD) Study: Rationale, Design and Baseline Characteristics of a Prospective Cohort of Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

Objective: To better understand the factors that affect care and outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes, we developed the prospective Alberta's Caring for Diabetes (ABCD) cohort to collect, monitor and analyze data concerning several sociodemographic, behavioural, psychosocial, clinical and physiological factors that might influence diabetes care and outcomes. Methods: We recruited 2040 individuals with type 2 diabetes through primary care networks, diabetes clinics and public advertisements. Data are being collected through self-administered surveys, including standardized measures of health status and self-care behaviours, and will eventually be linked to laboratory and administrative healthcare data and other novel databases. Results: The average age of respondents was 64.4 years (SD=10.7); 45% were female, and 91% were white, with average duration of diabetes of 12 years (SD=10.0). The majority (76%) were physically inactive, and 10% were smokers. Most (88%) reported 2 or more chronic conditions in addition to diabetes, and 18% screened positively for depressive symptoms. The majority (92%) consented to future linkage with administrative data. Based on the literature and comparison with other surveys, the cohort appeared to fairly represent the general Alberta population with diabetes. Conclusions: The ABCD cohort will serve as the basis for explorations of the multidimensional and dynamic nature of diabetes care and complications. These data will contribute to broader scientific literature and will also help to identify local benchmarks and targets for intervention strategies, helping to guide policies and resource allocation related to the care and management of patients with type 2 diabetes in Alberta, Canada.