Management of type 2 diabetes: Self-management education and clinical findings

Abstract Aim: The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of the self-management education provided to patients with type 2 diabetes under the leadership of a nurse on the perceptions of self-management and clinical findings of patients. Materials and Methods: The sampling of the research comprises 281 patients who received a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and whose treatment is being conducted. The self-management perceptions, body mass index, preprandial blood glucoses, and glycolyzed hemoglobin levels of the patients were measured before and after the intervention and 3 months later. Results: It was determined as a result of the comparison of the scores before and after the nursing education provided to the patients that the patients’ self-management perception scale scores increased significantly and that the body mass index, preprandial blood glucose, and glycolyzed hemoglobin levels reduced significantly ( P < 0.01). Conclusions: It is determined in research that the self-management education provided to patients with type 2 diabetes under the leadership of a nurse had a meaningful impact on the diabetes self-management skills and clinical findings of the patients. Practice Implications: It was determined that the average diabetes self-management education scores increased significantly when comparing before and after the self-management provided to patients and that the body mass index, preprandial blood glucose, and glycolyzed hemoglobin levels decreased at a statistically meaningful level.