title: Primary health care patients' knowledge about diabetes in the United Arab Emirates.
abstract: This study defined the baseline level of knowledge about diabetes and the perceived effectiveness of sources of diabetes information in an urban primary health care centre in Al-Ain. A validated questionnaire was administered to 300 randomly chosen adult patients with diabetes. Patient knowledge about diabetes was directly related to their level of general education. Written and electronic media, and contact with a nurse or doctor were effective sources of education on diabetes while "conversation with significant others", dietician or pharmacist were not effective. Nurse- or doctor-centred education appears to be an effective choice for future programmes to provide information to patients with diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Margolis
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Townsend
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D034742:Electronic Mail; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013664:Teaching Materials; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data