Oregon Research Institute

Linking Self-Management and Primary Care for Diabetes

Investigators refined and experimentally evaluated a practical, computer-assisted behavior change intervention to facilitate dietary and physical activity practices for persons with diabetes.

Details

There is a pressing need for research on behavioral interventions that are capable of being translated into practice for the self management and care of diabetes and other chronic illnesses. To date, the vast majority of diabetes self management research has been conducted in academic settings and has not addressed real world application issues or the challenges and context of primary care practice. It is well documented that preventive care provided to diabetes patients is suboptimal, even with the distribution of care guidelines, and that most patients are in need of assistance with behavior change, and especially with maintenance of healthful dietary and physical activity practices.