Treatment and lifestyle
For a person with diabetes, understanding how aspects of lifestyle can impact on their condition and learning to manage these is key to better control of their diabetes and the prevention of complications. A person-centred approach is important. How people receive the diagnosis of diabetes and how they react to it can differ considerably. Also, lifestyle is likely to be influenced by many factors such as age, culture, family and working commitments.
Care planning, which enables the person with diabetes to work in partnership with the health care professional, provides a more flexible process which can cater for these differences and be more responsive to individual needs and preferences in setting priorities and goals (Department of Health 2006). Appropriate and consistent patient education is equally important. Further information on these topics is available in the section within this resource on 'patient involvement'.
In this section of the resource, 'key issues' highlights some topical issues around lifestyle and treatment management in diabetes care. Information is also provided on the following specific aspects of lifestyle and treatment. Within each topic area there is a section signposting evidence based resources which provide further information and support.
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