Impact of Multidisciplinary Self-care Management of Diabetic Nephropathy on Quality of Life, Self-care Behavior, Glycemic Control, and Renal Function.

Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD) is becoming a global health concern that affects largely the elderly population. Despite advances in pharmacological and management strategies, DKD remain associated with high morbidity and mortality. Patients living with such chronic disease, are expected, on daily basis to manage their self-care activities. Patients' non-adherence to the treatment is thought to be the major cause for the poor control and the occurrence of complications. Previous researchers have shown that multidisciplinary management of chronic disease can improve patients' self-care and outcomes. However, none of these programs was centered on self-care and targeted patients with DKD. A multidisciplinary self-care management program could improve the outcomes of patients with DKD, and delay the progression of the disease.

The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of a multidisciplinary self-care management program on self-care behavior, quality of life, medication adherence, glycemic control and renal function, in adults with DKD.

The study will use a cross-over design. 32 adult with DKD, will be randomly recruited from the Vaud University Medical Center, nephrology department and will be enrolled in the program for 12 month. All variables will be measured at baseline, three, six, nine and 12 month. We will measure the patients' self-care behavior, quality of life, adherence to the anti-hypertensive medication taking using, the Revised Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities questionnaire, the Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of life questionnaire and the Medication Events Monitoring System. We will assess the patients' glycemic control by measuring the glycated hemoglobin and the renal function by measuring the serum creatinine and the microalbumin creatinine ratio.

The study will clearly show if a multidisciplinary self-care management program will improve the health outcomes of patients with DKD and will allow us to recommend the establishment of such a program.