Evaluation of the health educational program for type 1 diabetes mellitus among Egyptian children

Abstract EN

Background: IDDM is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood.

Its multifaceted management includes professional educational training for patients and parents.

Aims: evaluating the efficacy of our health educational program in influencing patients' attitudes, beliefs and practices.

Methods: A random, cohort study of 250 diabetic patients below the age of 18 years.

Results: Most patients had a pretty good level of knowledge of the disease, except for long term complications.

The two most common problems facing patients and families attending the outpatient clinics were overcrowding (21%) and lack of insulin (22%).

Conclusion: We concluded that our patients' information was deficient as regards nature of IDDM, types of syringes and types of insulin used, hypo and hyperglycemic symptoms and importance of HbAlc.

Our educational program still requires reinforcement to maximize efficiency of services.