Mark A. Clements, MD, PhD

Rick & Cathy Baier Family Endowed Chair in Endocrinology; Medical Director, Pediatric Clinical Research Unit; Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine; Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Kansas School of Medicine

Full Biography

Mark Clements, MD, PhD, Endocrinology, received a two-year, $710,434.16 award from JDRF International for his project, “Spotlight-AQ 2 Center RCT,” to study whether the use of Spotlight-AQ, a biopsychosocial pre-visit planning technology, will benefit adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Dealing with T1D can cause psychosocial burdens (depression, diabetes distress, anxiety, fear of hypoglycemia, family conflict) in adolescent and young adults. If not addressed, these issues can result in negative outcomes for individuals with T1D. Routine clinical visits often focus on biomedical outcomes and disease management, and it can be difficult for health care providers to provide tailored support for psychosocial-related issues.

“While we have made some progress in assessing psychosocial concerns during our pre-visit planning process, the approach offered by the Spotlight AQ tool has the potential to accelerate our progress in this important area,” said Dr. Clements.

Data from Spotlight-AQ studies in adults with T1D indicate the use of the technology had positive outcomes for participants. Dr. Clements will study whether adolescents and young adults with T1D could also benefit from a youth- and young adult-focused version of the technology. His team will collect initial data on the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of Spotlight-AQ in this population. The team will use Spotlight-AQ to identify patient-defined needs to guide topics discussed in two, regularly scheduled clinic visits. His team will measure:

• Acceptability to youth/young adults with T1D, their parents and providers
• Feasibility (completion rate for all components)
• Effectiveness (glycemic control, psychosocial outcomes, and engagement with self-management)

Spotlight-AQ was co-designed by persons with T1D and applies a biopsychosocial theoretical model of care. It includes electronic assessments for the person with diabetes to complete and a clinician toolkit on how to respond at the point of care to identified needs. Previous research has shown that the most common patient priorities are knowledge gaps and psychological burden. Often, it is possible for clinicians to address these issues in routine care. By applying an evidence-based and patient-centered approach to pre-visit planning, Spotlight AQ reduces the chances of problems persisting or worsening and requiring professional psychology support.