Development of the American Association of Diabetes Educators' Diabetes Self-management Assessment Report Tool

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe the development and testing of a new tool for collecting patient information for diabetes self-management education (DSME): the Diabetes Self-management Assessment Report Tool (D-SMART®). The D-SMART was designed through expert panel consensus based on a hybrid conceptual framework and is intended to serve multiple functions at the level of the patient, the program, and the field. Methods: The D-SMART has completed 3 rounds of pilot testing and is currently undergoing a fourth round, with each round resulting in revisions to the original instrument. Results: Findings from the pilot testing indicate that the instrument has acceptable reliability, validity, and sensitivity (or responsiveness) to change. A full-scale field test is currently under way, in which data from the D-SMART will be used to guide the delivery of services and to evaluate and enhance program functioning with a goal of improving education and care. Additional data from the field test are reported elsewhere, and further analyses are planned. Conclusions: The D-SMART provides educators with a tool that measures patients' behaviors and identifies those priorities for, and barriers to, change.