Effectiveness of a nurse‐led mindfulness stress‐reduction intervention on diabetes distress, diabetes self‐management, and HbA1c levels among people with type 2 diabetes: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

People with diabetes frequently have elevated diabetes distress. Although mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) therapy has been shown effective in reducing diabetes distress, it has only been delivered by psychologists or a multidisciplinary team with an attrition rate of up to 39%, which limits its dissemination to a broader audience. This study was aimed to pilot evaluate the feasibility of a nurse‐led MBSR therapy and explore its potential efficacy amongst people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A total of 100 participants were randomly allocated either to the intervention group (nurse‐led MBSR therapy + regular diabetes education) or the control group (regular diabetes education). Data on diabetes distress, diabetes self‐efficacy, and diabetes self‐management were collected at baseline, 8 and 12 weeks. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was collected at baseline and 12 weeks. A generalized estimating equation analysis for repeated measures was used to determine intervention and time effects. As predicted, the nurse‐led MBSR therapy had a significant time‐by‐group interaction effect on diabetes distress total score (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.58–0.77, p < 0.001), diabetes self‐efficacy (95% CI: −0.93 to −0.74, p < 0.001), diabetes self‐management (95% CI: −10.80 to −7.83, p < 0.001), and HbA1c levels (95% CI: 0.04–1.14, p = 0.03) in the intervention group compared with the control group over 12 weeks. This is the first nurse‐led MBSR therapy in a hospital setting that is feasible and has the potential to improve health outcomes. This approach may offer an innovative model to deliver MBSR therapy. A randomized controlled trial comparing the nurse‐led MBSR plus usual diabetes education with usual diabetes education along with a mechanism to equalize intervention attention between the groups is indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]