Health related behavior change program of diabetic patients with the use of transtheoritical – stages of change model and motivational interviewing

Introduction: Effective support of diabetic patients is a standing challenge for health systems worldwide. WHO anticipates that Diabetes is a chronic disease that can be managed with the implementation of interventions aiming in effective glycemic control, behavior modification, patient adherence on prevention of diabetes complications.

Within models and interventions that have been applied mostly for the support and modification of health related behavior of diabetic patients are the Transtheoritical Model of Di Clemente και Prochaska and the Motivational Interviewing of Rollnic and Miller.

Aim:  The aim of the study is the investigation of the modification of health related behavior of the study population concerning physical activity, diabetes management and adherence on diabetes prevention as well as the comparison of the effectiveness of a diabetic patient consulting with the application of the Transtheoritical Model and the Motivational interviewing with a short 10min consulting /informative session offered to the control population group.

Material and Method: Target population is diabetic patients that will form two groups (experimental and control). Present study is an applied summative mixed research (qualitative and quantitative). The conceptual framework of both the Trantheoritical – Stages of Change Model and Motivational Interviewing will be the method of choice to be applied and evaluated to the experimental population group. Intervention will consist of the form of MET (Motivational Enhancement Therapy) of four sessions with telephone sessions in between. Present study is expected to improve health related behavior of the experimental study population concerning the physical activity and adherence to disease prevention of implications and strongly support patient satisfaction, motivation and management of diabetes as to their choosing beneficial health related behaviors in comparison to the control study population and the traditional consultation of educational/informative style.

Conclusions: Up-to-date literature supports that systemic support behavior interventions that use targeted methodology seems to prevail over traditional diabetic patient support methods through boosting their motivation and promoting self empowerment. This study is expected to enhance existing knowledge of the diabetic patient management both in national and international level.

Keywords: diabetes management, health promotion, Health related behavior modification, Transtheoritical Model, Motivational Interviewing