Diabetes self-care knowledge, behaviors, and metabolic control of older adults--the effect of a posteducational follow-up program.
Older adults with diabetes experience greater barriers to practicing self-care activities necessary for disease control than their younger counterparts. It was hypothesized that posteducational follow-up intervention would increase self-care knowledge scores, improve metabolic control, and reduce self-care behavioral deficits. Twenty-seven hospitalized elderly patients with diabetes who had completed an inpatient education program were recruited and randomized into experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 12) groups. A posttest on HbA1c and diabetes self-care knowledge (DKN) was administered to all subjects, and self-care behavioral deficits were measured. A four-week follow-up intervention via telephone contact also was administered to the experimental subjects. No significant difference was observed in DKN and HbA1c values. A significant difference was achieved in reduction of self-care behavioral deficits (P < 0.05-0.01). It was concluded that posteducational follow-up is necessary for enhancing self-care adherence and ensuring safe practice of home care for elderly patients with diabetes.
Tu
K S
KS
McDaniel
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G
Gay
J T
JT
D000368:Aged; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000737:chemistry; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin