Nurse‐led self‐management education and support programme on self‐management behaviour and quality of life among adults with type 2 diabetes: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Abstract Aim This study examined the preliminary effects of a nurse‐led self‐management education and support programme on the self‐management behaviours and quality of life among people with type 2 diabetes in Western Ethiopia. Methods A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted between January and August 2021. Participants were recruited in the hospital and randomly assigned to the control arm to continue usual care ( n = 38) or the intervention arm to receive usual care and the diabetes self‐management education and support programme ( n = 38) in the community. Self‐management behaviours and quality of life were assessed using a 10‐item summary of diabetes self‐care activity (expanded) scale and a 34‐item diabetes quality of life measure, respectively, at baseline and 2 months after follow‐up. Generalized estimating equation models were used to examine the preliminary effects of the programme on the outcomes. Results Preliminary results indicated that the programme outperformed usual care in self‐management practise, with large effect sizes immediately postintervention and at 2 months after the intervention, and quality of life at 2 months after the intervention. Conclusion A nurse‐led diabetes self‐management education and support intervention, including the families of people with diabetes, may be an option to boost the self‐management practise and quality of life of patients with diabetes.