AADE7 Self-Care Behaviors revised in new guidance from the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists

The revised framework for the AADE7 Self-Care Behaviors published this week in the April issue of The Diabetes Educator journal. As the foundation of diabetes self-management care and support, updates to the framework reflect growing shifts in diabetes, prediabetes and cardiometabolic care since their last update in 2010.

“This update is in response to a broader change in how we now think about self-management, from linear behaviors we review on a list, to overlapping, connected lifestyle changes that build on each other,” said Kellie Antinori-Lent, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, BC-ADM, CDCES, FADCES, 2020 president of the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists. “Each behavior is, at its core, person-centered and that means we start with the person with diabetes and their readiness to change and sustain change. What barriers do they experience and how must we help them overcome those barriers?”

 Key trends from the revision include:

Expanded role of the diabetes care and education specialist

• Healthy Coping is the core of the AADE7 and a critical first step in the mastery of the other 6 behaviors. The emotional burden of diabetes impacts self-management, making individualized care, evaluation and appropriate referral critical. Reducing Risk and Problem Solving rely on an environment that promotes health and shared decision-making through listening, support and care coordination.

Increasing integration of technology into self-care

• Medical devices, digital therapeutics and electronic communications have transformed the approach to diabetes self-care. Benefits like reduced barriers from the removal of transportation needs and expanded and improved monitoring have come with new challenges for the health care team like data surplus and tech trouble shooting.

Greater awareness of social determinants of health

• Healthy eating, being active and taking medication are the basis for care plans and are greatly impacted by the ability to address barriers such as social support, cultural beliefs, economic standing and access to resources.

To read the revised framework, visit DiabetesEducator.org/AADE7behaviors.

About the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists: ADCES is an interdisciplinary professional membership organization dedicated to improving prediabetes, diabetes and cardiometabolic care through innovative education, management and support. With more than 12,000 professional members including nurses, dietitians, pharmacists and others, ADCES has a vast network of practitioners working to optimize care and reduce complications. ADCES supports an integrated care model that lowers the cost of care, improves experiences and helps its members lead so better outcomes follow. Learn more at DiabetesEducator.org, or visit us on Facebook or LinkedIn (Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists), Twitter (@ADCESdiabetes) and Instagram (@ADCESdiabetes).

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