The effectiveness of a primary-care-based diabetes education service.
The efficacy of structured education for 158 Type 2 diabetic patients in primary care (80 male, mean age 63 yr, median diabetes duration 3 yr) was assessed with respect to change in knowledge of diabetes, weight, and haemoglobin A1 over a 6-month period. The programme supplemented a primary care initiative in our semi-rural population. Teaching was carried out by a Diabetes Nurse Educator within primary care health centres (141 patients) and a hospital diabetes clinic (17 patients). For all patients mean baseline questionnaire score (maximum possible 12) was 6.2 rising after the programme to 10.5 (p < 0.01). At 6 months mean score fell to 9.5 (p < 0.01 compared to end of the programme), but still significantly better than baseline (p < 0.01). For patients on the primary-care-based programme mean haemoglobin A1 at baseline was 10.7% (normal range 6%-9%) decreasing after 6 months to 9.6% (p < 0.01). No significant changes were found in mean weight. Unlike many previous studies, these results demonstrate a highly beneficial effect not only on knowledge but also on metabolic control in patients who received their education in the primary-care setting. These results have obvious implications for patients residing in rural or semi-rural populations.
Redhead
J
J
Department of Medicine, The General Hospital, Bishop Auckland, UK.
Hussain
A
A
Gedling
P
P
McCulloch
A J
AJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001835:Body Weight; D003479:Curriculum; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013041:Specialties, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin