The effectiveness of self-management programme based on multilevel social resources utilization in diabetes mellitus patients: A randomized controlled study

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to test the effects of a novel diabetes self-management education (DSME) programme focused on multilevel social resources utilization on improving self-management behaviour, social resources utilization and haemoglobin A_lc (HbA_1c ) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: A randomized controlled design was used. A total of 118 participants with T2DM from two communities were recruited through randomized sampling, and randomly assigned to the novel DSME group or the traditional DSME group. DSME focusing on multilevel social resources utilization was implemented in the novel DSME group. Data were collected at baseline (T₀ ), at the end of the intervention (T₁ ) and 3 months after the end of intervention (T₂ ) from 3 March to 16 November 2014.

Results: Comparing these two groups, the participants in the novel DSME group reported significantly better improvement in self-management behaviour and social resources utilization at T₁ and T₂ (all p < 0.01). A significant difference was found in the mean improvement of HbA_1c level between the two groups at T₂ (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: The novel DSME programme focused on multilevel social resources utilization can effectively enhance T2DM patients' self-management behaviour and social resource utilization and lower HbA_1c levels. More importantly, the effects could last longer.

Keywords: diabetes mellitus; education; nurses; self-management; social resources utilization; social-ecological model; type 2 diabetes.