Factors affecting empowerment of the diabetic individual and how can we empower diabetes patient?
Hamdiye Arda Surucu
Dicle University, Turkey
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Abstract
Empowerment is defined as providing power or bringing in authority, the skill and competence to accomplish something and to grant permission. Empowerment consists of two processes as process and outcome. The objective of these two processes is development of potential of individual with diabetes at the first stage and maturation of this potential at the last stage. There is a limited amount of research investigating the factors influential on empowerment. Examining the factors influential on empowerment in diabetes is thought to shed light on the planning and management of diabetes education. In addition, we will discuss how we can empower diabetes patient. The factors influential on empowerment in diabetes study revealed that the number of diabetesrelated symptoms-age, gender, educational background, disease duration, perceived family support, diabetes education, employment status is among the factors influential on empowerment. Consequently, in an attempt to empower individuals with diabetes through empowerment strategies in diabetes self-management education includes: (1) Instructor should not be the decision maker in decisions regarding diabetes management of patient, (2) Daily self-management decisions should be checked and their responsibilities should be confirmed, (3) Information should be provided for continuity of the situation of life-long decision making in diabetes, (4) Patients’ efforts should be facilitated in order to determine, implement and result of behavioral goals that are individually chosen, (5) Chances of social and emotional support should be created and individuals with diabetes should be included in a group which is created for problem-solving (6) Instead of controlling patient, patient should be given responsibility in diabetes care, (7) Instructor should have a constant communication with its patients through telephone, mail etc., and (8) Instructor should make individual with diabetes feels important and valuable (9) Diabetes literacy should be increased/encouraged and (10) Instructor should make individual with diabetes feels important and valuable.
Biography
Hamdiye Arda Surucu has completed her PhD in Internal Medicine Nursing at Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey. She did two Master degrees in Internal Medicine Nursing and Public Health. She has worked in the diabetes education center with diabetes as Diabetes Nurse for 10 years.
Email: har_da@hotmail.com
