Integrating a Care Supporter in Diabetes Self-Management Education to Enhance Health Outcomes: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a novel diabetes self-management education (DSME) intervention on self-reported behavioral and clinical outcomes.

Methods

Adults over the age of 35 with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were recruited to participate in a 3-month study to assess the impact of the Live in Control intervention, a 4-week care supporter-integrated DSME program. Forty-nine participants and their care supporters participated in the program in a community setting. A prospective, repeated measure, pretest and posttest research design was employed with assessments at week 0 (W0; baseline), 4 weeks (W4), and 3 months (W12). The primary measures were diabetes-related self-management behaviors, self-efficacy, autonomy support, social support, distress, and A1C.

Results

Paired t-test analyses revealed significant changes in study variables across different time points. The self-management scores significantly improved from W0 to W4 and from W0 to W12. Self-efficacy significantly increased from W0 to W4 and from W0 to W12. Autonomy support significantly increased from W0 to W12, and social support scores significantly improved over the same period. Findings indicate that participants experienced enhanced support for themselves and from their social networks throughout the study. Diabetes-related distress significantly decreased from W0 to W12. Although decreases in A1C were not significant for the total study sample, those with A1C ≥8 had significant decreases from W0 to W12.

Conclusions

A care supporter-integrated DSME intervention can favorably impact diabetes self-care, perceived social support, and A1C, especially for those with higher A1C values, suggesting the positive impact of program participation.