Couple-Based Intervention for Chinese Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
Author Information
Author(s): Yang Conghui, Zhi Jingyi, Xu Yingxin, Fan Xinyu, Wu Xueji, Xu Dong Roman, Liao Jing
Primary Institution: Sun Yat-sen University
Hypothesis
Is a couple-based intervention more effective than an individual-based intervention for managing type 2 diabetes in Chinese older adults?
Conclusion
The couple-based intervention was found to be weak overall but beneficial for older adults with poorly controlled HbA1c levels.
Supporting Evidence
- The couple-based intervention showed more pronounced benefits for patients with high baseline HbA1c levels.
- Both arms had similar follow-up rates at 6 and 12 months.
- Collective efficacy and behavior increased for patients in both arms, but no significant differences were found between the two groups.
Takeaway
This study looked at whether having a partner help with diabetes management is better than doing it alone, and it found that it can help some people, especially those with high blood sugar.
Methodology
This was a multicenter randomized clinical trial with 207 couples, comparing a couple-based intervention to an individual-based control over 12 months.
Potential Biases
Self-reported measures may have introduced reporting bias.
Limitations
The study may have included couples with relatively good relationships, and the broad inclusion criteria for HbA1c levels resulted in high variability among participants.
Participant Demographics
Patients were aged 55 years or older, with a mean age of 66.0 years, and included both men and women.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI, −0.57 to 0.42
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website