The Effect of Family Caregiver Empowerment Model Intervention on Fear of Hypoglycemia in People with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Background: Fear of hypoglycemia is a common psychological issue in people with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Families play a crucial role in diabetes self-management, but many need a better understanding of their responsibilities. This gap can lead to increased disease management burdens, contributing to psychological problems like fear of hypoglycemia, which worsens blood glucose control. The Family Caregiver Empowerment Model (FCEM) is an intervention that can empower families in their caregiving roles for T2DM management.Purpose: The study aimed to analyze the effect of the FCEM intervention on the fear of hypoglycemia in people with T2DM.Methods: The study used a randomized control group pretest-posttest design. The sample consisted of family members serving as family caregivers. A total of 85 respondents were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (41 respondents) or the control group (44 respondents). FCEM was conducted once per week for ten weeks. Fear of hypoglycemia was measured using the Indonesian version of the Fear of Hypoglycemia Scale questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test and independent t-test.Results: The results showed significant differences in fear of hypoglycemia between the pre-test and post-test in the intervention group (p=0.001) and the control group (p=0.001). However, there was a significant difference in the decrease in fear of hypoglycemia between the treatment and control groups (t=-7.087; p=0.001 < α = 0.05). It suggests that FCEM intervention can significantly reduce the fear of hypoglycemia in patients with T2DM.Conclusion: FCEM intervention can reduce the fear of hypoglycemia in people with T2DM by increasing family support and caregivers' ability to manage T2DM. Nurses can use FCEM intervention in the management of T2DM so that it can improve diabetes self-management outcomes.