The effect of family caregiver empowerment interventions on family caregiver capabilities in self-management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Indonesia

Objective: Empowering family caregivers is one of the strategies to increase the family caregiver's capability in T2DM self-management. The adequate capability of family caregivers in T2DM self-management can improve T2DM management, impacting people's health status with T2DM. This study aimed to examine the effect of family caregiver empowerment intervention on the family caregiver's T2DM self-management capability. Methods: This study is an experimental study with a randomized control group pre-test post-test design. The sample size is 60 respondents by simple random sampling, which is divided into two groups randomly. The treatment group (n = 30) received 10-session intervention in 10 weeks (six education and training sessions and four mentoring sessions), and the control group (n = 30) received standard care. Data were collected using a questionnaire, twice, before and after the intervention (12 weeks after the last intervention session) and analysed descriptively and statistically (One way-ANOVA test, dependent t-test, and independent t-test). Results: The empowerment intervention significantly increased the family caregiver's T2DM self-management capability, including diet management (t = 4.070; p <.001), physical activity management (t = 9.493; p <.001), medication management (t = 4.021; p <.001), self-monitoring blood glucose levels (t = 2.789; p <.001), and foot care skills (t = 6.835; p <.001). Conclusion: Family caregiver empowerment interventions can improve the capability of family caregivers in self-management of T2DM, including increasing the capability to manage diet, physical activity, medication, self-monitoring blood glucose levels, and foot care. Nurses can empower family members as family caregivers to improve self-management of T2DM.