[Empowerment in diabetes mellitus: theory and practice]

Since 1989 the concept of empowerment and the promotion of self-care management have been generally proposed for Diabetes care. The bio-psycho-social concept of empowerment aims at encouraging the patient to develop self-care management for Diabetes treatment that is evidence-based and in accordance with the patient's goals and life style. It therefore promotes the patient's autonomy. With regard to HbA1c and life-quality parameters, it has been proven to be effective. Prerequisites for implementing empowerment as therapeutic intervention are: interest in the individual reality of the patient, a patient-centred communication style and an adequate time management. In this article we describe the theoretical aspects of the concept of empowerment and propose practical recommendations for the empowerment of patients suffering from Diabetes mellitus.