Empowerment and metabolic control in patients with diabetes mellitus

Objective

Metabolic control is believed to be central to positive clinical outcome in patients with diabetes. Empowerment has been linked to improved metabolic control in this clinical group, though such a relationship remains equivocal. The current study sought to determine if patient empowerment predicted metabolic control.

Design

A cross-sectional study design was used with all observations taken on one occasion.

Setting

Participants were assessed at a diabetes specialist out-patient clinic.

Participants

189 patients participated in the study. The majority of patients had type 2 diabetes mellitus (N = 158, 84%).

Main outcome measures

Empowerment was assessed using the Chinese Diabetes Empowerment Scale. Metabolic control was assessed by reference to blood HbA1c levels.

Results

C-DES sub-scale scores explained little variation in HbA1c levels.

Conclusions

There appears to be no relationship between patient empowerment and metabolic control in this clinical group. Nurses working within an empowerment model with patients with diabetes should be aware of a possibility of a non linear relationship and the complexity involved in maintaining good metabolic control.