family support for diabetes mellitus care in southeast asia: a scoping review

Introduction: the past decade has witnessed a sharp increase in diabetes cases, a serious health threat triggering severe complications such as microvascular damage (retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy) and diabetic foot ulcers. diabetes has become a leading cause of death, claiming millions of lives annually. this study investigated family assistance for loved ones with diabetes mellitus in southeast asia. methods: pubmed, cochrane, proquest, ebsco, garuda, sciencedirect, scopus, sage journals, global index medicus, doaj, and google scholar were searcherd for english and indonesian articles published in 2014-2024. articles examining family support for diabetes (type 1 or 2) care in southeast asian populations were included, whereas studies focusing solely on healthcare provider interventions, non-southeast asian settings, non-english/indonesian publications, editorials, commentaries, and articles without full-text access were excluded from the investigation. results: nineteen studies (12, 3, 3, and 1 cases performed in indonesia, malaysia, thailand, and vietnam) covering both diabetes types underwent analysis. primary family support forms included informational support, emotional support, family warmth, and direct caregiving. it was found that family support enhances glycemic control, wound healing, healthy lifestyle adoption, medication adherence, and patient self-efficacy. barriers encompassed residential distance, illness perceptions, economic constraints, insufficient information, and strained family relationships. conclusion: overall, family support manifests through distinct forms in southeast asian diabetes care, improving clinical outcomes and self-care behaviors. however, effectiveness is moderated by geographic distance, economic constraints, and knowledge deficits. healthcare providers should systematically assess family dynamics during care planning, while policymakers should implement family-inclusive programs to optimize diabetes management outcomes.