title: Diabetes empowerment, medication adherence and self-care behaviors in adults with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence suggests that empowerment is an important factor to address everyday aspects of dealing with a chronic disease. This study evaluated the effect of diabetes empowerment on medication adherence and self-care behaviors in adults with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on 378 subjects with type 2 diabetes recruited from two primary care clinics in the southeastern United States were examined. Previously validated scales were used to measure diabetes empowerment, medication adherence, diabetes knowledge, and diabetes self-care behaviors (including diet, physical activity, blood sugar testing, and foot care). Multiple linear regression was used to assess the independent effect of diabetes empowerment on medication adherence and self-care behaviors controlling for relevant covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-three percent were non-Hispanic blacks, 69% were women, 22% were 65 years or older, 68% were not married, 26% had less than high school education, 60% were unemployed, 39% were uninsured, and 47% had a yearly income <$10,000. Empowerment had significant correlations with medication adherence (r=0.17, P<0.003), diabetes knowledge (r=0.16, P=0.007), diet (r=0.24, P<0.001), exercise (r=0.25, P<0.001), blood sugar testing (r=0.12, P=0.043), and foot care (r=0.18, P=0.002). In the regression model, diabetes empowerment was significantly associated with medication adherence (β=-0.04, P=0.001), diabetes knowledge (β=0.09, P=0.012), diet (β=0.09, P<0.001), exercise (β=0.10, P<0.001), blood sugar testing (β=0.07, P=0.016), and foot care (β=0.08, P=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this sample, diabetes empowerment was related to better diabetes knowledge, medication adherence and improved self-care behaviors. Emphasis on empowerment and self-efficacy is relevant to improve outcomes in the management of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Disparities Research, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425-0593, USA.
authors.forename: Melba A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Tejada
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Rebekah J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Brittany L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Smalls
authors.forename: Kimberly S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Leonard E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Egede
mesh_terms: D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012648:Self Care; D012907:Smoking; D016903:Drug Monitoring
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents