Hypo Program

The Hypo Program is an online programme for people with diabetes, their families, teachers with students with diabetes and health care practitioners (including full-time carers), to improve their understanding of hypoglycaemia (hypos).

It helps you understand the causes of hypos, track your hypos and reduce your hypo risk.

When you enrol in the programme it asks your first language, your ethnicity, your country and postcode, the details of your medical practice (you can skip this step), the type of diabetes you have, the treatment you have been prescribed if you have type 2 diabetes (ie, diet/exercise, oral medicines or insulin) and your latest HbA1c result. (Note: New Zealand users will need to use the drop-down menu to change the units for HbA1c from % to mmol/mol.)

The programme then asks a series of questions to gather information about how hypos may currently be affecting you and asks you your most important goal in wanting to know more about hypoglycaemia.

• The programme then takes you through 8 modules which consist of a short video (about 5 minutes) followed by a quiz (3 questions relating to the information contained in the video). You can retry the quiz as many times as you wish.
• The videos are clear and concise providing information about common causes of hypoglycaemia, symptoms of hypos, treatment of hypos, exercise, driving and hypos that occur while at work, university or school. A written transcript is available for each video.
• Resources are provided to download, including a simple hypo record sheet and infographics of the key points covered in each module.
• Throughout the videos patients are encouraged to use the hypo record sheet to keep a record of hypos.
• The aim of the program is to help the patient spot patterns associated with their hypos. It also encourages patients to share their hypo record sheet with their diabetes care team or general practitioner.
• When you have completed the 8 modules and the quizzes you receive a certificate of achievement.

For the complete programme description, go to the website(external link), or see below for more reviews.

Clinical review

Reviewer: Claire Salter, Clinical Pharmacist
Date of review: June 2024
Platform: Online programme
Comments: I think this app is excellent for people wanting to educate themselves about hypos – what they are, how to recognise them and how to treat them. Although the advice given differs from the current NZ advice, following the steps provided would be unlikely to put someone at risk. The programme would be especially useful for family members or caregivers of a person with diabetes. The information is engaging, clear and easy to understand.
Safety concerns: The information regarding treating hypos is oversimplified in comparison with current NZSSD (New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes) guidelines. There is no information for caregivers on what to do if the person with diabetes is unconscious. Also the information on driving is similar but not identical to NZTA (New Zealand Transport Agency) guidance. Learn more about low blood glucose. 
New Zealand relevance: Yes, this app is relevant to an Aotearoa New Zealand audience but note the safety concerns above. Also, NZ users will need to ensure they select the correct HbA1c units – use % and not mmol/mol.

Clinical review

Reviewer: Elizabeth Brookbanks, Pharmacist Waitemata Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora
Date of review: May 2024
Platform: Online programme
Comments: The Hypo programme is especially useful for people with diabetes who are having frequent hypos and are finding it difficult to manage their diabetes. It's also very useful for families of someone with diabetes or teachers who may have a student in their class with diabetes. The programme can help people gain confidence in managing their diabetes, in particular identifying and managing hypoglycaemia. The programme gives excellent strategies for managing hypoglycaemia by monitoring and tracking hypos. I really enjoyed watching the videos and taking the short quizzes. I think this program would be extremely useful for people newly diagnosed with diabetes and for those who are experiencing frequent hypos as well as for families and teachers who have people in their care with diabetes.
Safety concerns: None.
New Zealand relevance: The programme is relevant to an Aotearoa New Zealand audience, although the information about driving is UK specific. “In the UK it is a legal necessity to inform the DVLA [Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency] if you have lost your hypo awareness”.