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The goal of diabetes treatment is to prevent or delay the complications of diabetes without impairing quality of life for people with diabetes and their family. Diabetes education and psychosocial support are essential components of diabetes care and should be integrated as part of individual care for all. Structured group‐based education is recommended as a means of preventing the feeling of diabetes loneliness and enhancing the exchange of experiences, attitudes, wishes, and needs related to diabetes.
Being able to self‐manage diabetes is a lifelong process that is aided by continuous professional as well as family support. Continuous evaluations and adjustments should be encouraged by healthcare professionals using appropriate follow‐up intervals, depending on the needs of the individual with diabetes and availability of resources and knowledge development.
The role of the professional educator is in transition. The educator can no longer rely on teaching alone but must be a collaborator as well as an expert. The needs and preferences of the person with diabetes must be at the center at all times. Further, these needs must be assessed and not assumed by the healthcare professionals.
Educators need appropriate and timely training to be able to apply principles and methods of adult education such as dialogue, active involvement, motivational interviewing, social learning, problem‐solving methods, and appreciative inquiry. Providing psychosocial support is currently a huge challenge for many educators and other healthcare professionals. Although many providers lack confidence in addressing these issues, evidence suggests that psychosocial issues cannot be ignored.
The focus of evaluation of diabetes education and support is—besides clinical outcomes and diabetes behaviors—to achieve an understanding of how, for whom, and under what conditions a specific program will work. It is recommended that educators do not underestimate the influence of the specific context on education processes and outcomes.
Diabetes education is highly valued by those who have access to it and participate, but there is insufficient exposure to those who might benefit from it.