[How much do inpatient treated diabetics know about their disease?].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to find to find out which factors are able to predict the disease-specific knowledge of in-patient diabetic patients and to characterize this group of patients.


METHODS
The disease-specific knowledge of diabetic patients of a Hospital in Munich, Germany (department of diabetology) was tested using a general questionnaire and a specific diabetes knowledge test. All data manipulation and statistical calculations were conducted with the statistical software package SAS (version 9.1).


RESULTS
On average type-1-diabetics achieved 73% of the possible points in the knowledge test, type-2-diabetics achieved 68% of total points. In bivariate analyses, using logistic regression, existence of diabetes related complications was a significant predictor of poor knowledge (OR = 4.36; 95%-KI: 1.38-13.77) in type-1-diabetics. Other factors, e. g. lack of diabetes education were associated with low test results but reached no statistical significance (OR = 6.13; 95%-KI: 0.67-56.42). In multivariate logistic regression (female) gender was a significant risk factor for low test results (OR = 7.66; 95%-KI: 1.18-49.8). In type-2-diabetics lack of diabetes education (OR = 3.86; 95%-KI: 1.51-9.84), low self-assessment of information about diabetes (OR = 3.90; 95%-KI: 1.36-11.21) and lack of knowledge about diabetes diet (OR = 4.06; 95%-KI: 1.60-10.28) were predictors of poor test results. The existence of diabetes related complications was associated with poor test results but showed no statistical significance in multivariate analysis (OR = 2.99; 95%-KI: 0.85-10.43).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a group of diabetic inward-patients that is less informed about diabetes and shows knowledge deficits in testing. These patients often lack diabetes education and show an unfavourable course of the disease, already having diabetes related complications. Type-2-diabetes patients who feel that they have poor information about their disease actually achieve lower results in knowledge testing. Efforts to assure diabetes education for these patients are essentially necessary.
Blankenfeld
H
H
Klinik für Endokrinologie, Diabetologie und Angiologie, Klinikum Bogenhausen, Städtisches Klinikum München GmbH. mail@hannesblankenfeld.de
Mielck
A
A
Schumm-Draeger
P M
PM
Siegmund
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; D003927:Diet, Diabetic; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors