Effect Of Peer Support On Physical Activity Of Patients With Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Objective To explore the individual, social and environmental factors influencing physical activity for patients with diabetes in order to provide theoretical basis for physical activity intervention. To explore the effect of peer support on the exercise self-efficacy, physical activity level and the symptoms of neuropathy in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.Methods 1. A total of 200 patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited from an upper first-class hospital in Tianjin from January 2015 to May 2015. The research belongs to cross-sectional survey. We explored the individual, social and environmental factors that affected physical activity of patients with diabetes based on the social ecological model and exercise self-efficacy theory.2. A total of 60 patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy were recruited from an upper first-class hospital in Tianjin from March 2015 to September 2015. The research belongs to quasi-experimental study.The subjects were randomly divided into the intervention group and the control group. Patients in the control group received routine health education, patients in the intervention group received peer support and routine health education. The intervention time was 12 weeks. Patients in two groups were investigated pre-intervention and post-intervention in order to evaluate the effect of peer education on physical activity, exercise self-efficacy and symptoms of neuropathy in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.Results 1. Perceived social support, exercise self-efficacy, depression and environmental conditions were factors influencing physical activity in patients with diabetes.2. After the intervention, the exercise self-efficacy of the two groups increased(P<0.05), the exercise self-efficacy of the intervention group increased greater than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).3.After the intervention, the steps of the two groups increased(P<0.05), the steps of the intervention group increased greater than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).4. After the intervention, the traffic dimension, exercise dimension and total physical activity of the control group increased(P<0.05), the exercise dimension and the total physical activity of the intervention group increased(P<0.05), the exercise dimension and total physical activity of the intervention group increased greater than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).5. After the intervention, sedentary time of the two groups decreased(P<0.05), sedentary time of the intervention group decreased more than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).6. After the intervention, toronto clinical scoring system of the two groups decreased(P<0.05) and there were no statistical difference between the two groups(P>0.05).7. After the intervention, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressureof the two groups did not change(P>0.05) and there were no statistical differences of the change between the intervention group and the control group(P>0.05).8. After the intervention, fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose and Hb A1 c of the two groups decreased(P<0.05), fasting blood glucose, 2-hour Postprandial Blood Glucose and Hb A1 c of the intervention group decreased more than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusions1. Patients with higher perceived social support and exercise self-efficacy, lower depression and better environmental conditions had higher level of physical activity. Measures should be taken to improve the exercise self-efficacy, perceived social support, depression and environmental conditions, so as to improve the level of physical activity in patients with diabetes.2. Peer support could improve the exercise self-efficacy, the number of steps and physical activity, reduce the blood glucose and Hb A1 c for patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. But the effect of peer support on blood pressure and symptoms of neuropathy was not obvious, further research is needed.