Frameworks for process evaluations of diabetes self-management programs: a systematic review

This systematic review investigates the utilization and reporting of frameworks to guide process evaluations (PE) of diabetes self-management programmes (DSMPs). Constituting a subset of articles from a previously published systematic review, seven studies, comprising nine articles, met the inclusion criteria. The different approaches to manage diabetes were reflected in the study’s characteristics and types of interventions. The quality of reporting differed even with the inclusion of evaluation frameworks, which affected the evidence's transferability and comparability. All studies cited their frameworks; yet, only a few gave thorough explanations and used the frameworks consistently throughout their research. A critical appraisal for reporting quality revealed a need for standardized guidelines to assess the thoroughness of framework utilization. Implications for practice include adopting a checklist of indicators to enhance reporting quality and encouraging uniformity in PE methodologies.