Supporting Transitions in Care for Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity

Diabetes self-management education (DSME) for older persons in Western countries: A scoping review

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic health condition affecting millions globally. Diabetes is a growing concern among aging societies, with its prevalence increasing among those aged 65 and above. Enabling disease self-management via relevant education is part of high-quality care to improve health outcomes and minimize complications for individuals living with diabetes. Successful diabetes self-management education (DSME) programs usually require tailoring for the intended audience; however, there is limited literature about the preferences of older persons in Western countries concerning DSME. As such, a broad overview of DSME for older persons was an identified need. To map the available evidence on DSME for persons aged 65 years and older in Western countries, the JBI methodology for conducting and reporting scoping reviews was used. In this scoping review, we considered all studies about DSME for older persons with T1D and T2D in Western countries where lifestyles, risks, prevention, treatment of diabetes, and approaches to self-management and DSME are similar (e.g., North America, Western and Northern Europe and Australasia). Systematic keyword and subject heading searches were conducted in 10 databases (e.g., MEDLINE, JBI EBP) to identify relevant English language papers published from 2000 to 2022. Titles and abstracts were screened to select eligible papers for full-text reading. Full-text screening was done by four independent reviewers to select studies for the final analysis. The review identified 2,397 studies, of which 1,250 full texts were screened for eligibility. Of the final 44 papers included in the review, only one included participants' understanding of DSME. The education programs differed in their context, design, delivery mode, theoretical underpinnings, and duration. Type of research designs, outcome measures used to determine the effectiveness of DSME, and knowledge gaps were also detailed. Overall, most interventions were effective and improved clinical and behavioural outcomes. Many of the programs led to improvements in clinical outcomes and participants' quality of life; however, the content needs to be adapted to older persons according to their culture, different degrees of health literacy, preference of education (e.g., individualized or group), preference of setting, degree of frailty and independence, and comorbidities. Few studies included the voices of older persons in the design, implementation, and evaluation of DSME programs. Such experiential knowledge is vital in developing educational programs to ensure alignment with this population's preferred learning styles, literacy levels, culture, and needs-such an approach could manifest more substantive, sustained results.

Factors Related to the Continuity of Care and Self-Management of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Most diabetic patients suffer from chronic diseases affecting their self-management status. This study aims to explore the relationship between the CoC and the self-management of patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and analyze the predictive factors affecting their self-management.

METHODS

Structured questionnaires were used for data collection. Convenient sampling was adopted to recruit inpatients diagnosed with T2DM in the endocrine ward of a medical hospital in central Taiwan.

RESULTS

A total of 160 patients were recruited. The average age of the patients is 66.60 ± 14.57 years old. Among the four dimensions of the self-management scale, the average score of the problem-solving dimension was the highest, and that of the self-monitoring of blood glucose was the lowest. The analysis results showed that the overall regression model could explain 20.7% of the total variance in self-management.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthcare providers should attach importance to the CoC of T2DM patients and encourage patients to maintain good interaction with healthcare providers during their hospitalization. It is recommended to strengthen CoC for patients with diabetes who are single or with low educational levels in clinical practice to enhance their blood glucose control and improve diabetes self-management.

The impact and feasibility of a brief, virtual, educational intervention for home healthcare professionals on Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders: pilot study of I SEE PD Home

BACKGROUND

Individuals with advanced Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Parkinson-related disorders (PRD) are frequently referred for home allied therapies and nursing care, yet home healthcare professionals have limited training in PD/PRD. While recognizing the need for such care, patients and families report home healthcare professionals are unfamiliar with these conditions, which may be driven by neurophobia and may contribute to suboptimal care and early termination of services. We sought to determine the feasibility and effects of a virtual, multimodal educational intervention on PD knowledge, confidence, and empathy among home health professionals.

METHODS

Home health nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists and physical therapy assistants, and speech-language pathologists participated in a daylong, virtual symposium on advanced PD/PRD, combining focused lectures, discipline-specific breakout sessions, immersive virtual reality vignettes, and interactive panels with both patients and families, and movement disorders and home healthcare experts. Participants completed online pre- and post-symposium surveys including: demographics; PD/PRD knowledge (0-10 points possible); empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index); and 10-point scales of confidence with and attitudes towards individuals with PD/PRD, respectively. Pre-post intervention changes and effect sizes were evaluated with paired t-tests and Cohen's d. We performed qualitative analyses of post-symposium free-text feedback using a grounded theory approach to identify participants' intentions to change their practice.

RESULTS

Participants had a mean improvement of 3.1 points on the PD/PRD knowledge test (p < 0.001, d = 1.97), and improvement in confidence managing individuals with PD/PRD (p = 0.0003, d = .36), and no change in empathy. The interactive, virtual format was rated as effective by 95%. Common themes regarding symposium-motivated practice change included: interdisciplinary collaboration; greater involvement and weighting of the patient and caregiver voice in care plans; attention to visit scheduling in relation to patient function; recognition and practical management of the causes of sudden change in PD/PRD, including infections and orthostatic hypotension.

CONCLUSIONS

A virtual, multimodal, brief educational pilot intervention improved PD/PRD-specific knowledge and confidence among home healthcare nurses and allied health professionals. Future studies are necessary to test the short- and long-term effects of this intervention more broadly and to investigate the impact of this education on patient and caregiver outcomes.

Effectiveness of nurse-led services for people with chronic disease in achieving an outcome of continuity of care at the primary-secondary healthcare interface: A quantitative systematic review

BACKGROUND

Globally, chronic disease is a leading cause of illness, disability and death and an important driver of health system utilization and spending. Continuity of care is a significant component of quality healthcare. However, an association between nurse-led services, interventions, patient outcomes and continuity of care at the primary and secondary interface as an outcome, has not been established for people with chronic disease.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the effectiveness of nurse-led services for people with chronic disease in achieving an outcome of continuity of care at the primary-secondary healthcare interface.

DESIGN

Quantitative systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

Systematic searches of Medline, Cochrane, Embase, Emcare, JBI and Scopus databases were conducted of studies published between 1946 and May 2019 using the search terms "nurse", "continuity of care" and "chronic disease".

REVIEW METHODS

Quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized controlled trials and Joanna Briggs Institute quality appraisal checklists. A second reviewer screened 10% of full text articles and all articles in critical appraisal. Studies were excluded from the review if they were of poor methodological quality or the description of the effect of the nurse-led service was inadequately reported.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies were included in the review (n=4,090 participants). All studies incorporated recognized continuity of care interventions. The nurse-led services were associated with fewer hospitalizations, reduced by 2-8.9% and re-admissions reduced by 14.8-51% (n=886). Reporting of positive patient experiences and improvement in symptoms and lifestyle was also evident. An association of nurse-led services with improved continuity of care between primary and secondary health services as an outcome per se could not be concluded.

CONCLUSION

Nurse-led services for adults provide coordinated interventions that support continuity of care for people with chronic disease in both the primary and secondary healthcare settings that are associated with reduced hospitalizations or readmissions and patient satisfaction. However, the limited use of validated continuity of care outcome measurement tools precluded establishing correlations between interventions, patient outcomes and continuity of care as a specific outcome.

Diabetic education in nursing: A Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis

AIM

This concept analysis aims to clarify the concept of diabetic education in nursing to provide guidance for the further conceptualization and clarification of diabetic education in nursing.

BACKGROUND

Patient education is a fundamental component of diabetes care. Nurses have taken up a major role in educating people with diabetes to manage their conditions. However, the exact meaning of diabetic education in nursing remains challenging.

DESIGN

Rodgers' evolutionary method of concept analysis was performed to explore the concept of diabetic education in nursing.

DATA SOURCE

We conducted a literature search on Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), MedLine, and PsycInfo for works published until October 2020 using "patient education," "diabetes," and "nursing" as key terms.

RESULTS

The concept analysis revealed that key attributes of diabetic education in nursing include patient-centered and interactive approaches, planning, and problem solving. Antecedents related to individuals with diabetes are their backgrounds, needs, and motivations, while the antecedents related to nurses are experience and attitude. Finally, three different consequences of the concept emerged: an increase in knowledge and skills, a behavioral change, and the improvement of clinical outcomes.

Timing of Home Health Care Initiation and 30-Day Rehospitalizations among Medicare Beneficiaries with Diabetes by Race and Ethnicity

Older adults with diabetes are at elevated risk of complications following hospitalization. Home health care services mitigate the risk of adverse events and facilitate a safe transition home. In the United States, when home health care services are prescribed, federal guidelines require they begin within two days of hospital discharge. This study examined the association between timing of home health care initiation and 30-day rehospitalization outcomes in a cohort of 786,734 Medicare beneficiaries following a diabetes-related index hospitalization admission during 2015. Of these patients, 26.6% were discharged to home health care. To evaluate the association between timing of home health care initiation and 30-day rehospitalizations, multivariate logistic regression models including patient demographics, clinical and geographic variables, and neighborhood socioeconomic variables were used. Inverse probability-weighted propensity scores were incorporated into the analysis to account for potential confounding between the timing of home health care initiation and the outcome in the cohort. Compared to the patients who received home health care within the recommended first two days, the patients who received delayed services (3-7 days after discharge) had higher odds of rehospitalization (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.25-1.32). Among the patients who received late services (8-14 days after discharge), the odds of rehospitalization were four times greater than among the patients receiving services within two days (OR, 4.12; 95% CI, 3.97-4.28). Timely initiation of home health care following diabetes-related hospitalizations is one strategy to improve outcomes.

Effects of a nurse led web-based transitional care program on the glycemic control and quality of life post hospital discharge in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Individuals with type 2 diabetes have a heightened risk of developing serious complications post hospital discharge. Web-based transitional care is a promising intervention to improve the glycemic control and quality of life of this patient group; however, whether web-based transitional care can improve the glycemic control and quality of life of this group remains unknown. Further, the mechanisms underlying the relationships between the intervention and both glycemic control and quality of life have not been fully explored.

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study were to develop a web-based transitional care program and evaluate its effects on the glycemic control and quality of life of Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes and to explore the mediating roles of self-efficacy and treatment adherence.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial.

SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

This study was conducted in a large regional hospital in Guangzhou City, China. Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were included.

METHODS

A total of 116 eligible participants were randomly assigned to receive either the 3-month web-based transitional care program or usual care. Assessments of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), self-efficacy, treatment adherence, and quality of life were conducted at baseline and at 3 months. Analysis followed the intention-to-treat principle. A generalized estimating equation was used to determine intervention effects on HbA1c and quality of life. Path analysis was used to assess the mediation of these effects by changes in self-efficacy and treatment adherence during the intervention.

RESULTS

Participants in the intervention group had significantly greater improvements in HbA1c (β = 2.87; p < 0.01) and quality of life (β = 7.69; p < 0.01) compared with the control group. The relationships between the intervention and both glycemic control and quality of life were significantly mediated by improved self-efficacy (indirect effect: β = 0.18, p < 0.05) and improved treatment adherence (indirect effect: β = 0.17, p < 0.05); overall, the model explained 52.5% of the variance in HbA1c and 34.2% of the variance in quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified beneficial effects of a web-based transitional care program on glycemic control and quality of life post hospital discharge in people with type 2 diabetes, and the underlying mediating mechanisms. The effectiveness and feasibility of this web-based intervention program suggests that its application should be promoted in community settings to reduce poor outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes. Tweetable abstract: The web-based transitional care program can improve patients' glycemic control and quality of life. Registration number: ChiCTR2000035603.

CARE TRANSTION IN HOSPITAL DISCHARGE FOR ADULT PATIENTS: INTEGRATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW

ABSTRACT Objective: to summarize and analyze the scientific production on care transition in the hospital discharge of adult patients. Method: integrative review, conducted from May to July 2020, in four relevant databases in the health area: Public Medline (PubMed); Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO); Scopus and Virtual Health Library (VHL). The analysis of the results occurred descriptively and was organized into thematic categories that emerged according to the similarity of the contents extracted from the articles. Results: 46 articles from national and international journals, with a predominance of descriptive/non-experimental studies or qualitative studies, met the inclusion criteria. Five categories were identified: discharge and post-discharge process; Continuity of post-discharge care; Benefits of care transition; Role of nurses in care transition and Experiences of patients on care transition. Hospital discharge and care transitions are interconnected processes as transitions qualify the dehospitalization process. Different strategies for continuity of care should be adopted, as they offer greater safety to the patient. Studies have shown that nurses play a fundamental role in transitions and, in Brazil, this activity still needs to gain more space. Reduced hospitalizations, mortality, hospital costs and patient satisfaction are benefits of transitions. Conclusion: care transition is an effective strategy for the care provided to the patient being discharged. It points out the need for integration between the care network and assists services in decision-making about the continuity of care on discharge.