Effectiveness of Solution-based Therapy on Self-Compassion and Reducing Blood Glucose in Elderly Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

One of the problems of diabetes in the elderly is the likelihood of another condition that makes it more difficult to control blood sugar. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of solution-based therapy on self-compassion and blood glucose reduction in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.

This quasi-experimental study was conducted based on a pretest-posttest design with a control group and follow-up. The statistical population of the study consisted of 60-75-year-old patients with type 2 diabetes referring to Iranian Diabetes Association treatment centers in Tehran, Iran. A total of 36 patients were selected and randomly assigned into two groups of experimental and control. The data were collected using a self-compassion questionnaire and glycated hemoglobin test (HbA1c). The HbA1c test was also administered two months after the end of the training to follow-up and evaluate the sustainability of the treatment effects. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 26) through repeated measure ANOVA.

The results showed that the solution-based therapy increased self-compassion in the posttest phase (P<0.01), and the effect of treatment was maintained after two months (P<0.01). Moreover, solution-based therapy reduced blood glucose levels in the posttest phase (P<0.01) and retained the effect of treatment after two months (P<0.01).

It can be concluded that solution-based therapy has effects on self-compassion and hyperglycemia in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes; moreover, it can be used in treatment centers to improve the status of patients with diabetes.