Empowerment and Self-Management in Type 2 Diabetes Care
Summary
Empowerment and self-management lie at the heart of modern strategies for treating type 2 diabetes. Empowerment is understood as a collaborative process by which individuals acquire the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to make informed decisions about their care. Self-management encompasses daily behaviours – including medication adherence, dietary adjustments, physical activity and blood glucose monitoring – that enable patients to maintain glycaemic control and reduce the risk of complications. This approach acknowledges the psychosocial dimensions of living with diabetes, recognising that motivation, health literacy and emotional well-being are intertwined with clinical outcomes. Multidisciplinary teams draw on behavioural theories, patient education and digital technologies to tailor interventions to individual needs, fostering autonomy and resilience. Global trends emphasise culturally sensitive programmes, peer support models and the integration of self-management support into primary care pathways. The evidence indicates that empowerment-oriented care not only improves metabolic indicators such as HbA1c but also enhances quality of life, reduces diabetes distress and promotes sustained lifestyle changes.
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Empowerment and Self-Management in Type 2 Diabetes Care publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in empowerment and self-management in type 2 diabetes care across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Empowerment: A collaborative process in which patients gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to manage their health and make informed decisions.
Self-management: The set of daily behaviours and routines adopted by individuals to control their diabetes, including medication adherence, diet, exercise and monitoring of blood glucose.
Glycaemic control: The regulation of blood glucose levels within target ranges to minimise the risk of acute and chronic complications.
mHealth: The use of mobile devices and applications to deliver health information, support and interventions to patients outside traditional clinical settings.
References
- Effectiveness of King’s Theory of Goal Attainment in Blood Glucose Management for Newly Diagnosed Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research (2024).
- Evaluating the effectiveness of an empowerment program for self-care in type 2 diabetes: a cluster randomized trial. BMC Public Health (2017).
- Facilitators and Barriers to Chronic Disease Self-Management and Mobile Health Interventions for People Living With Diabetes and Hypertension in Cambodia: Qualitative Study. JMIR mHealth and uHealth (2020).
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