Continued Support Following a Diabetes Self-Management Program on Adherence to Self-Management Behaviors, Distress Levels and Measurable Health Outcomes for Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex and multifactorial disease that can negatively affect a person’s physical and mental health. This disease is rapidly becoming one of the worst healthcare problems in America as rates are predicted to increase by 54%, impacting more than 54.9 million, by the year 2030 (Rowley, et al., 2017). Therefore, it is imperative that the health care system focuses attention on evidence-based measures that can improve diabetes control and prevent disease-related complications. Providing in-depth diabetes self-management education and support (DSME/S) to patients is necessary for them to successfully manage their chronic illness at home. The following Doctor of Nursing Practice quality improvement project aimed to improve diabetes outcomes in the community in collaboration with a local hospital organization, Holy Cross Health, located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This evidence-based change in practice project involved the implementation of additional in-person follow-up education and support following the completion of a diabetes program. The education and support provided was based on program content and current evidence in diabetes management and treatment. An in-depth synthesis of current evidence on DSMP and DSME/S was utilized for this project. This paper outlines the steps involved in measuring the impacts of continued support following completion of a program on diabetes control. A data analysis is described involving paired samples t-test and mean differences between baseline and post-intervention for health outcome measurements of weight, waist circumference, self-reported fasting blood glucose, self-reported serum hemoglobin A1C levels. In addition, a Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ) and a Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS) were utilized comparison measurement tools.