title: The feasibility of a self-management education program for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Do the perceptions of patients and educators match?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the feasibility experienced by patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a self-management educational program to the hindrance assessed by the educator of the program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five type 2 diabetes patients on maximally tolerated oral hypoglycaemic agents followed a 6-month educational program consisting of five components: background, medication, physical exercise, nutrition and blood glucose self-monitoring. Medication was unchanged during the study. Outcome measures were feasibility encountered by the patient, hindrance observed by the educator and HbA(1c)-level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The feasibility encountered by patients was significantly related to the hindrance assessed by the educators (rho 0.756, p<0.001). Feasibility increased significantly for three components but not for physical exercise and nutritional advice. Mean HbA(1c)-level decreased from 8.2+/-1.1% before onset of the program to 7.2+/-1.3% 6 weeks after termination of the program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Feasibility experienced by the patients matched the hindrance noticed by the educators. This might have led to an increase in patients' self-efficacy, which in turn gives an improvement in self-management and glycaemic control.
authors.affiliation: Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. A.Kerssen-2@umcutrecht.nl
authors.forename: Anneloes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kerssen
authors.forename: Alex N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Goudswaard
authors.forename: Marije
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quartel
authors.forename: Nicolaas P A
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Zuithoff
authors.forename: Guy E H M
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Rutten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015444:Exercise; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents