Implementing a psychological intervention to improve lifestyle self-management in patients with type 2 diabetes

Lifestyle and behavioural factors play an important role in the development of Type 2 diabetes and management of this illness involves a combination of medication and lifestyle change. However, diabetes lifestyle programs have been found unsuccessful unless they are intensive and continued over long periods of time. The present study, which is one of the few randomised controlled trials of lifestyle interventions to be conducted outside of the US, aims to evaluate a brief psychological intervention that can be integrated into routine usual care to assist people to make the recommended lifestyle changes. Subjects are allocated to either an intervention or usual care control group. The intervention includes assessment and a personalised programme in which realistic manageable goals for lifestyle change and overcoming barriers are negotiated using brief motivational interviewing. Maintenance issues are addressed by follow-up telephone contact. Implementation of this study is described and baseline data presented on initial participants, and implications for practice are discussed.