Promoting High-Quality Health Communication Between Young Adults With Diabetes and Health Care Providers

Abstract

Young adults with diabetes assume increasing responsibility for communicating with their health care providers, and engaging in high-quality health communication is an integral component of overall diabetes self-management. This article provides an overview of the main features of health communication, factors that may influence communication quality, interventions to promote communication skills, and practical strategies for clinicians working with young adults with diabetes. The review concludes with a comprehensive summary of future directions for health communication research.

ISPAD Clinical Practice Consensus Guidelines 2022: Psychological care of children, adolescents and young adults with diabetes

“…Person‐centered communication by providers, which is closely linked to autonomy‐supportive communication (i.e., explaining the personal relevance of treatment guidelines and offering choices), 130,163,168 puts the young person with diabetes and their family at the forefront by eliciting their perspectives on the proposed treatment recommendations, and by engaging in a shared‐decision making process. This communication style promotes openness and trust, and fosters dialog about the best way to optimize diabetes management and outcomes for each young person with diabetes and their family 168 . Clinically, person‐centered communication includes elements of motivational interviewing.…”

“…Clinically, person‐centered communication includes elements of motivational interviewing. At the core of motivational interviewing are reflective listening, being empathic, not engaging in arguments or persuasion and focusing on changing behavior and enhancing self‐efficacy 168,169 . In clinical practice, communication is an effective, modifiable tool to enhance diabetes self‐management and to establish a constructive relationship between providers, youth with diabetes, and their families.…”

“…Research has shown that responsive and supportive communication between youth with diabetes and their family, caregivers and the broader social environment (e.g., peers, school system, other relatives, sport coaches) is essential for youth well‐being, including better glycemic outcomes, self‐management, QoL, and satisfaction with care. 117 , 129 , 130 , 167 Person‐centered communication by providers, which is closely linked to autonomy‐supportive communication (i.e., explaining the personal relevance of treatment guidelines and offering choices), 130 , 163 , 168 puts the young person with diabetes and their family at the forefront by eliciting their perspectives on the proposed treatment recommendations, and by engaging in a shared‐decision making process. This communication style promotes openness and trust, and fosters dialog about the best way to optimize diabetes management and outcomes for each young person with diabetes and their family.…”

“…This communication style promotes openness and trust, and fosters dialog about the best way to optimize diabetes management and outcomes for each young person with diabetes and their family. 168 Clinically, person‐centered communication includes elements of motivational interviewing. At the core of motivational interviewing are reflective listening, being empathic, not engaging in arguments or persuasion and focusing on changing behavior and enhancing self‐efficacy.…”

The Promising Role of Self-Compassion in Managing Type 1 Diabetes

“…Two key components of patient-centered care are (1) compassionate care and (2) shared decision-making [95]. Compassionate listening and high-quality patientcentered communication can foster a collaborative provider relationship and increase engagement in clinic visits [96][97][98][99][100]. In young adults with T1D, one study applied usercentered design to integrate shared decision-making into the health record system and facilitate improved patient-provider communication [101].…”