Helping Your Patient with Diabetes: Engagement and Communication Strategies to Optimize Your Approach

1. Diabetes Distress is defined as emotional distress that captures the worries, concerns and fears among individuals struggling with a progressive and demanding chronic disease such as diabetes including the emotional burden of self-management, threats of complications and potential loss of functioning.

a) True
b) False

2. The major sources of Diabetes Distress include which of the following:

a) Powerlessness
b) Negative Social Perceptions
c) Physician Distress
d) Friend/Family Distress
e) Hypoglycemia Distress
f) Management Distress
g) Eating Distress
h) All of the above

3. Diabetes Distress is different than clinical depression and is not treated with antidepressants.

a) True
b) False

4. A person’s or health care team’s Mental Model of people with diabetes provides the filters through which the user sees the world and is based on belief as opposed to being a factual concept. They are often “taught” or passed on to us in our training or practice.

a) True
b) False

5. Stigma is referred to as a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something – a negative stereotype. It can lead to individuals being labelled by their illness, and can result in feelings of judgment and prejudice, shame, embarrassment, distress, hopelessness and reluctance to seek or accept help.

a) True
b) False

6. Addressing emotional distress such as Diabetes Distress needs attention and should be included as part of ongoing comprehensive care for all patients with diabetes.

a) True
b) False

7. Reality Checking & Support (“Anchoring”) includes which of the following:

a) Teach back method
b) Show Me
c) Practice together
d) All of the above

8. Motivational Interviewing won’t work well, unless the patient moves out of the sense of hopelessness, futility, worthlessness. If they believe that no matter what they do bad things are going to happen, that they are doomed and nothing they do makes a difference, then why even try… it is all futile.

a) True
b) False

9. Shared Decision Making occurs when a health care provider and a patient work together to make a health care decision that is best for the patient.

a) True
b) False

10. The SHARE Approach is a five-step process for shared decision making that includes exploring and comparing the benefits, harms, and risks of each health care option through meaningful dialogue about what matters most to the patient. Which of the following are included in the five step SHARE Approach:

a) Seek your patient’s participation
b) Help your patient explore and compare treatment options
c) Assess your patient’s values and preferences
d) Reach a decision with your patient
e) Evaluate your patient’s decision
f) All of the above