Evaluation of an educational program for type 1 diabetics

Abstract EN

Background : Diabetes is a chronic illness that requires continuous medical care and patient education to prevent acute complications and to reduce the risk of long term complications.

Objective : This study was done to evaluate a currently applied diabetes education program applied in a specialized diabetes clinic (Diabetic Endocrine and Metabolic Pediatric Unit, DEMPU), Pediatric Hospital, Cairo University, with the following objectives : J) Evaluation of the patients 'pre-existing knowledge gathered during initial hospitalization and irregularly during the clinic visits.

2) Determination of the impact of applying a structured diabetes education program on improvement of the patients' knowledge of diabetes and its management.

3) To study whether such a structured education program can have a positive effect on the patients ’ glycemic control, and 4) To study whether the degree of knowledge is related to the duration of diabetes, and the level of academic education.

Research Design : The study included 100 children and adolescents (56 F and 44 M) "with type 1 diabetes.

Their mean age was 9.92 ± 4.51 years (1.34-23 y), and mean duration of diabetes was 3.04 ± 3.95 years (0.13-20 y).

The program was conducted by a diabetes specialist, a nurse and a dietitian, and supervised by a diabetologist The Program was composed of a weekly session (90-120 min each) over a total period of 4 weeks.

The efficacy of diabetes education was evaluated by : 1) prepared questionnaire, 2) testing verbally the accuracy of self blood glucose monitoring, 3) glycosylated hemoglobin taken before the DEP, then three months and one year after the DEP.

Results: The mean knowledge score (MKS) for individual items covered increased Slgnificantly following the DEP.

Diet control and self care were the most defective items before the DEP.

The percentage of patients that reached 100 % knowledge score after the DEP were as follows: late complications 100 %, exercise 76 %, self care 75 %, diet ^2 %, self blood glucose monitoring 66 %, hypo-and hyperglycemia and their Monagement 59 %, insulin therapy 54 %, basic knowledge 34 %.

There was a significant crease in the percentage of diabetics with poor control (mean HbAlc > 12 %) one.