An integrative systematic review of interprofessional education on diabetes

Interprofessional education (IPE) aims at enhancing the ability of healthcare professionals from different disciplines to work together effectively, improving the quality of patient care. An interprofessional approach is essential in diabetes management, but there is only limited evidence of the effects of diabetes-specific IPE. The aim of this integrative review is to gather all relevant recent data on the outcomes of IPE on diabetes management. The search in the CINAHL, Medline and PsycINFO databases resulted in 1136 potential studies. An inductive content analysis was used to synthesize the key findings of the 14 studies found to fulfill the inclusion criteria of the systematic review. Two main categories and four subcategories of findings were identified. Firstly, included individual gain (e.g., learner´s confidence and motivation to treat patients with diabetes) and external benefits (e.g., benefits for the patient). Secondly, of IPE included both challenges (e.g., competing interests of different professions) and strengths (e.g., practical approach to diabetes management). In conclusion, the findings indicate that both learners and patients with diabetes benefit from IPE on diabetes management. Educators are encouraged to adopt practical IP approaches in diabetes education. However, it is necessary to estimate the resources available. More research is needed on the cost-effectiveness, long-term effects, and patient perspective of IPE on diabetes management.