Q: I have seen the term AADE7 discussed in articles about diabetes self-management. What does AADE7 mean?

The AADE7 is a patient-centered framework developed by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) for diabetes self-management education and training (DSME/T) and care. Seven self-care behaviors have been identified as essential for successful patient management. These include healthy eating, being active, monitoring, taking medication, problem solving, healthy coping, and reducing risks.

Each of the seven self-care behaviors focuses on specific arenas. Healthy eating identifies foods, preparations, and portions that can make a difference in blood glucose, cholesterol, and weight management. Being active will also support the patient's health improvement by decreasing insulin resistance. Monitoring refers to blood glucose monitoring and other laboratory parameters (A1c, cholesterol, UMA), and skin and foot monitoring. Taking medication identifies the ability to procure medication, understanding what effect the medication will have on blood glucose, identifying side effects, and taking medications as prescribed. Problem solving is specific to identifying the problem and understanding what tactics to take in order to correct the problem. For example, hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia may be problems that need to be understood and corrected. Healthy coping addresses stress management, depression, and issues related to living with diabetes. Reducing risk occurs through preventive measures such as an annual flu injection, checking feet daily, and an annual eye exam.

Behavior is the primary outcome of diabetes education. Successful behavior change will result in improved clinical parameters, which translates into improved health outcomes. Using the AADE7 framework in a diabetes program allows for collection of data to support effectiveness of the attainment of the objectives. The framework standardizes terminology, which improves communication, provides a global knowledge base, and clarifies processes and outcomes related to DSME/T (AADE, 2011).

The AADE7 framework is applicable to the "management of any chronic disease, health promotion or wellness programs that require an emphasis on problem-solving, effective life-long coping, behavioral change, and patient empowerment" (AADE, 2011, p. 7). The principles of the seven self-care behaviors can be used by patients with chronic medical conditions such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, heart failure, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

The AADE7 can also be adapted for prevention and health promotion strategies such as smoking cessation, obesity, and weight management and also can be used from a population and community perspective. It is helpful for any provider working with patients who are in need of developing self-management strategies. Focusing on each aspect of lifestyle will assist in developing goals that will impact clinical outcomes and patient health.

It is important to remember that self-management support includes the sharing of knowledge through education, skill training, personal goal setting, problem solving, and enhancing motivation. Each of these aspects of support is individualized to lead to the ultimate goal of improved health. If you are interested in learning more about diabetes educators and resources that can assist with both your development and that of your patient, please visit http://www.diabeteseducator.org.

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