This study examined the role of autonomy support from adults’ informal health supporters (family or friends) in diabetes-specific health behaviors and health outcomes. Using baseline data from 239 Veterans with type 2 diabetes at risk of complications enrolled in behavioral trial, we examined associations between autonomy support from a support person and that support person’s co-residence with the participant’s diabetes self-care activities, patient activation, cardiometabolic measures, and predicted risk of a cardiac event. Autonomy support from supporters was associated with significantly increased adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviors (diet, p < .001 and exercise, p = .003); higher patient activation (p < .001); greater patient efficacy in interacting with healthcare providers, and lower 5-year (p = .044) and 10-year (p = .027) predicted cardiac risk. Autonomy support was not significantly associated with diabetes-specific behaviors (checking blood glucose, foot care, or medication taking); or hemoglobin A1c, systolic blood pressure, or non-HDL cholesterol. There was a significant interaction of autonomy support and supporter residence in one model such that lack of autonomy support was associated with lower patient activation only among individuals with in-home supporters. No other interactions were significant. Findings suggest that autonomy support from family and friends may play a role in patient self-management, patient activation, and lower cardiac risk.

本研究探讨了成人非正式健康支持者（家人或朋友）的自主支持在糖尿病特定健康行为和健康结果中的作用。使用行为试验中 239 名有并发症风险的 2 型糖尿病退伍军人的基线数据，我们检查了来自支持者的自主支持与支持者与参与者的糖尿病自我护理活动、患者激活、心脏代谢措施的共同居住之间的关联，并预测心脏事件的风险。支持者的自主支持与健康生活方式行为的依从性显着增加有关（饮食，p  < .001 和锻炼，p  = .003）；更高的患者激活（p < .001); 与医疗保健提供者互动时患者的疗效更高，5 年 ( p  = .044) 和 10 年 ( p  = .027) 预测的心脏风险较低。自主支持与糖尿病特异性行为（检查血糖、足部护理或服药）没有显着相关性；或血红蛋白 A1c、收缩压或非 HDL 胆固醇。在一个模型中，自主支持和支持者居住之间存在显着的相互作用，因此缺乏自主支持仅与在家支持者的个体中较低的患者激活有关。没有其他相互作用是显着的。研究结果表明，来自家人和朋友的自主支持可能在患者自我管理、患者激活和降低心脏风险方面发挥作用。