title: Voluntary Organizations and Community Groups as New Partners in Diabetes Self-management and Education: A Critical Interpretative Synthesis.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to critically review the literature on the role and work of voluntary organizations and community groups and volunteers in diabetes self-management programs. It seeks to explain how these organizations are located and could be integrated further within a broader system of support.
  
  
  
  A critical interpretative synthesis of the literature was undertaken as part of the conceptual development of a European research project. Evidence (2000-November 2014) was searched in databases, with the use of key terms, and limited to the languages of the participating countries. This was supplemented by an additional hand search and snowballing technique. A total of 21 articles were included in the review.
  
  
  
  Evidence regarding the involvement of voluntary organizations in diabetes self-management programs mainly related to: the nature and remit of their work, responsibilities, and attributes; key strategies of programs accounting for success; motivations/barriers for engaging in volunteering participation; relationships between volunteers and users; and connections/tensions with formal services.
  
  
  
  This review has uncovered a range of facets of voluntary organizations and community groups relevant for supporting diabetes self-management such as the context within which they act and the nature of relationships developed with community and health services. The principles of "assistance, support, sharing, and link" seem essential for this voluntary initiative in self-management to establish effective reciprocal collaboration with health professionals.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Hampshire, UK (Associate Prof Portillo)
authors.forename: Mari Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Portillo
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain (Ms Regaira)
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Regaira
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain (Dr Pumar, Dr Mujika)
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pumar-Méndez
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain (Dr Pumar, Dr Mujika)
authors.forename: Agurtzane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mujika
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, NIHR Wessex CLAHRC, University of Southampton, Hampshire, UK (Dr Vassilev, Prof Rogers, Prof Kennedy)
authors.forename: Ivaylo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vassilev
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, NIHR Wessex CLAHRC, University of Southampton, Hampshire, UK (Dr Vassilev, Prof Rogers, Prof Kennedy)
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Medical Centre, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands (Prof Wensing, Mr Koetsenruijter)
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wensing
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Olso, Norway (Prof Foss, Dr Knutsen)
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foss
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Olso, Norway (Prof Foss, Dr Knutsen)
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ruud Knutsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Economic Sociology, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria (Prof Todorova)
authors.forename: Elka
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Todorova
authors.affiliation: Department of Economic and Social Geography, NIGGG, Bulgaria Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria (Ms Roukova)
authors.forename: Poli
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roukova
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, NIHR Wessex CLAHRC, University of Southampton, Hampshire, UK (Dr Vassilev, Prof Rogers, Prof Kennedy)
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: Education, Health and Society Foundation, Murcia, Spain (Dr Serrano)
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece (Prof Lionis, Ms Angelaki)
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lionis
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece (Prof Lionis, Ms Angelaki)
authors.forename: Agapi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angelaki
authors.affiliation: Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, King's College London, London, UK (Dr Patelarou)
authors.forename: Evridiki
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patelarou
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Medical Centre, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands (Prof Wensing, Mr Koetsenruijter)
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koetsenruijter
mesh_terms: D003153:Community Health Services; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D014837:Voluntary Health Agencies