Work

Exploring Factors That Influence Diabetes Educator's Physical Activity Counseling During Diabetes Self-management Education and Support

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: Physical activity (PA) is considered a cornerstone to diabetes management and care. Diabetes educators (DE) come from a variety of health disciplines and are responsible for delivering physical activity counseling to patients during Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSME/S). PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors that may influence physical activity counseling during the delivery of DSME/S. METHODS: Pennsylvania DEs were recruited from the State Diabetes Conference and surveyed regarding their: time dedicated to PA counseling; importance placed on PA as a treatment; knowledge of the current PA Guidelines for American Adults (PAGAA); level of confidence with PA counseling; barriers associated with PA counseling. RESULTS: 119 DEs participated in the survey (95.8% female; 94.1% Caucasian; 60.5% nurses; 73.9% Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE)). Mean age was 51.9 ±10.7 years with a mean of 13 ±8.62 years delivering DSME/S. Of the 4 content areas examined during DSME/S (healthy eating, taking medications, monitoring blood glucose and being active), DEs spent the least amount of time addressing PA during DSME/S (14.5 +12.1 minutes). DEs ranked PA as the 3rd most important treatment modality behind healthy eating and taking medications but above monitoring blood glucose. Nearly ¾ (74%) of DEs reported the correct PAGAA for moderate intensity aerobic activity. However, only 40.2% of DEs reported knowledge of vigorous intensity aerobic activity with 51% acknowledging resistance training guidelines. Approximately half (54.7%) of DEs reported “very confident” counseling on PA during DSME/S. When examining barriers with PA counseling during DSME/S, DEs ranked “inability to engage patients on PA” as the most challenging personal barrier while “time allotted for DSME/S visits was reported as the greatest challenge to counsel on PA within as a practice barrier. CONCLUSION: DEs have an obligation to discuss PA as a treatment strategy during DSME/S. These data lend credence to the improvement of effective PA counseling within DSME/S delivery.

Source: D-Scholarship@Pitt (University of Pittsburgh)

Author: Robert Powell

Language: English

Topic: Diabetes Management and Education

Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: University of Pittsburgh

OpenAlex ID: W1480610227