Habit and Routine Interventions with Emerging Adults with Diabetes: An Integrative Review

Abstract

Although theoretical and empirical writings on habits and routines are a promising body of science to guide interventions, little is known about such interventions among emerging adults with type 1 diabetes. Thus, an integrative review was conducted to describe interventions in relation to habits and routines, their influence on outcomes, and users' perspectives. A medical librarian conducted a search. Teams screened titles, abstracts, and articles based upon predefined criteria. Evidence from the final 11 articles was synthesized. A minority of investigators explicitly articulated habits and routines theoretical underpinnings as part of the interventions. However, text messaging or feedback via technology used in other interventions could be implicitly linked to habits and routines. For the most part, these interventions positively influenced diabetes self-management-related behaviors and health outcomes. In general, the interventions were perceived positively by users. Future research is advocated using habit and routine theoretical underpinnings to guide interventions.

Keywords: Diabetes; Emerging adults; Habits; Interventional research; Routines; Self-management.