Eye on diabetes: a multidisciplinary patient education intervention.
The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of usual care to an intervention emphasizing patient education targeted at a multicultural adult patient population with diabetes seeking eye care in an academic health center.



Ninety patients were randomized to usual care or to the intervention. All patients received a comprehensive eye health and vision examination and completed a demographic survey, a patient satisfaction survey, and a diabetes eye health pretest and posttest administered by a masked examiner at 1 week and 3 months. A multidisciplinary (optometry, pharmacy, endocrinology) patient education curriculum was developed for patients randomized to the intervention. Because the dependent variable was measured at 3 points on a nominal scale, a binary generalized estimating equation was employed.



The assessment of patient knowledge at baseline revealed misconceptions about diabetic eye disease. While most patients recognized that people with diabetes should have regularly scheduled eye examinations through dilated pupils (90.0%), most patients incorrectly reported that diabetic eye disease usually has early warning signs (75.6%). While controlling for age, gender, race, education, and HbA1c level, subjects who participated in the intervention were 2 times more likely to score higher on the posttest (chi(2) = 45.51, P > .00). No differences between pretest and posttest scores were found for patients who did not participate in the intervention (chi(2) = 11.67, P > .11).



Patients who participated in the educational intervention demonstrated an increase in knowledge across time. Patients may benefit from education emphasizing the importance of dilated eye examinations in the absence of ocular symptoms.
Wagner
Heidi
H
Nova Southeastern University, Health Professions Division, Ft Lauderdale, Florida
Pizzimenti
Joseph J
JJ
Nova Southeastern University, Health Professions Division, Ft Lauderdale, Florida
Daniel
Karen
K
Nova Southeastern University, Health Professions Division, Ft Lauderdale, Florida
Pandya
Naushira
N
Nova Southeastern University, Health Professions Division, Ft Lauderdale, Florida
Hardigan
Patrick C
PC
Nova Southeastern University, Health Professions Division, Ft Lauderdale, Florida
D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D044469:Racial Groups; D014785:Vision, Ocular