If you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, one of the best things you can do is attend a diabetes self-management programme. It can help you develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to stay well and reduce your risk of complications.
Living with diabetes can be confusing. There is a lot to learn and staying well may mean you need to make some major lifestyle changes. To help you with this, there are group programmes held throughout the country. These are often available in evenings and weekends to make it easier for people who are working to attend. (Health Navigator Charitable Trust and Synergy Film, NZ, 2014)
People with type 2 diabetes and their families/whānau.
Contact details
Ask your GP what is available in your area or you can contact the organisations directly.
Regions
Auckland – Central
Auckland PHO provides free diabetes self-management “Living well with Diabetes” workshops in Central Auckland. View our upcoming schedule, join a workshop or refer a patient here. We run sessions face-to-face and online over zoom. Phone 09 379 4022 or email saphiya@aucklandpho.co.nz.
Auckland – North and West
Comprehensive Care provides free diabetes self-management education classes in Albany, Orewa, Stanmore Bay, Ranui, Henderson and Birkdale. contact them by phone 09 448 0019 or email at DSME@comprehensivecare.co.nz.
Auckland – South and East
Most areas are covered – check with your GP to see what's near you.
East Health has a range of programmes including diabetes, weight management and more. Contact them at info@easthealth.co.nz.
ProCare Health has programmes at no cost to the GP practice, patient or carer. Contact the self-management team on email at life@procare.co.nz, phone 09 354 7770, or call or text 027 535 8250.
Auckland-wide
ProCare Health has a range of self-management programmes running across wider Auckland and anyone is welcome. Contact the self-management team on email at life@procare.co.nz, phone 09 354 7770, or call or text 027 339 5740.
Hutt Valley DHB region
Te Awakairangi Health Network provides a free diabetes self-management programme for people living with type 2 diabetes who are registered with a Hutt Valley GP practice.
Programmes are held across the Hutt Valley region.
Contact Libby on phone 04 576 8616 or at libby.s@teahn.org.nz for more information or to enrol in a programme.
Nelson/Marlborough DHB region
Visit the BeWell website for information about programmes.
MidCentral District Health Board region
The Diabetes Trust provide diabetes self-management education classes for the Palmerston North region. Phone 06 357 5992 or use their contact email address.
Information for healthcare providers on diabetes self-management
The content on this page will be of most use to clinicians, such as nurses, doctors, pharmacists, specialists and other healthcare providers.
Diabetes self management education (DSME) can be delivered in many forms. Group-based DSME is widespread, cheaper and has the added advantages of people meeting others with diabetes.
Systematic review with meta-analysis
This study compared group-based DSME to routine treatment. RCT studies, up to Jan 2008, adults, type 2 diabetes (intervention had at least one session and =/>6 months follow-up.)
Results: In total 21 studies (26 publications, 2833 participants) were included. Participants: 40% male, baseline age 60, BMI 31.6, HbA1c 8.23%, diabetes 8 years and 82% used medication.
Outcomes
HbA1c was significantly reduced at 6, 12 months (0.46% points; P = 0.001, 11 studies, 1503 participants) and 2 years.
Fasting blood glucose levels also significantly reduced at 12 months (1.26 mmol/L; P<0.00001, 5 studies, 690 participants) but not at 6 months.
Diabetes knowledge was improved significantly at 6, 12 months and 2 years and self-management skills also improved significantly at 6 months.
For the main psychosocial outcomes, there were significant improvement for empowerment/self-efficacy after 6 months.
For quality of life, no conclusion could be drawn due to high heterogeneity.
Significant improvements in patient satisfaction and body weight at 12 months for the intervention group.
No differences between the groups in mortality rate, body mass index, blood pressure and lipid profile.
Conclusions
Group-based DSME in people with type 2 diabetes results in improvements in clinical, lifestyle and psychosocial outcomes.
