Effect of Family-centered Empowerment Model on Eating Habits, Weight, Hemoglobin A۱C, and Blood Glucose in Iranian Patients with Type ۲ Diabetes

Background: Families play a peculiar role in adherence to treatment in diabetic patients; therefore, it seems that interference in motivational, psychological, and self-issued characteristics based on the family-centered empowerment model (FCEM) affects this adherence. Aim: The present study aimed to determine the effect of FCEM on eating habits, weight, hemoglobin A۱C, and blood glucose control in Iranian patients with type ۲ diabetes. Method: This semi-experimental study was conducted on ۷۰ participants with type ۲ diabetes in a diabetes clinic in Birjand, Iran, in ۲۰۱۸. The participants were selected via purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two groups of control (n=۳۵) and intervention (n=۳۵) using block randomization. The intervention group received family-centered empowerment training for four weekly-held ۹۰-min sessions. Data were collected using demographic and disease characteristics form and Azartel et al.’s Dietary Behaviors Questionnaire and analyzed in SPSS software (version ۱۹). Results: The mean age scores of participants in the intervention and control groups were ۴۹.۶۶±۶.۳۷and ۴۹.۴۶±۵.۹۸ years, respectively. The intervention group showed an increasing trend through time, where the mean scores for eating habits and blood glucose had insignificant improvement one month (P>۰.۰۵) and three months (p <۰.۰۵) after the intervention. Hemoglobin A۱C level reduced significantly in the intervention group three months after the intervention (p <۰.۰۵), as compared to that in the control group (P>۰.۰۵). Implications for Practice: The FCEM can improve nutritional behaviors, hemoglobin A۱C, and blood glucose in type ۲ diabetic patients. This intervention can guide health care providers on how to improve the eating habits of diabetic patients through family empowerment training.

Keywords:

Blood glucose , eating habits , empowerment model , Family , Hemoglobin A۱C , Type ۲ diabetes