Diabetes Educators Beliefs About Patient Self-Management and Strategies Used to Support Persons With Diabetes

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine diabetes educators’ beliefs about the importance of patients’ role in self-management and the relationship between educator-reported strategies used to support patients with diabetes. Methods Using a descriptive, cross-sectional study design, diabetes educators’ (n = 225) beliefs toward self-management were assessed using the Clinician Support–Patient Activation Measure 13 (CS-PAM). Support strategies were assessed using the Clinician Self-Management Scale (SMS). Results The CS-PAM score for diabetes educators ranged from 56.1 to 100.0. The SMS scores ranged from 2.44 to 5.00. Educators’ beliefs and support strategies used in clinical encounters were significantly correlated. Bivariate analysis and multiple linear regression demonstrated no statistically significant differences in the beliefs of and support strategies used by educators and their characteristics. Conclusions Findings suggest that the majority of diabetes educators highly support and embrace patients’ participation in their own care. Educators who are more supportive of patients in self-managing are more likely to use effective support strategies, as measured by the SMS, thereby fostering a sense of patient ownership in their own care and promoting behavioral change that may lead to improved health outcomes. The lack of statistical significance between the educators’ beliefs and support strategies used and personal characteristics points to clinical implications in that diabetes educators are well aligned in the care of persons with diabetes.