title: Diabetes knowledge in nursing homes and home-based care services: a validation study of the Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test adapted for use among nursing personnel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Providing high-quality diabetes care in nursing homes and home-based care facilities requires suitable instruments to evaluate the level of diabetes knowledge among the health-care providers. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test adapted for use among nursing personnel.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 127 nursing personnel (32 registered nurses, 69 nursing aides and 26 nursing assistants) at three nursing homes and one home-based care facility in Norway. We examined the reliability and content and construct validity of the Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The items in both the general diabetes subscale and the insulin-use subscale were considered relevant and appropriate. The instrument showed satisfactory properties for distinguishing between groups. Item response theory-based measurements and item information curves indicate maximum information at average or lower knowledge scores. Internal consistency and the item-total correlations were quite weak, indicating that the Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test measures a set of items related to various relevant knowledge topics but not necessarily related to each other.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test measures a broad range of topics relevant to diabetes care. It is an appropriate instrument for identifying individual and distinct needs for diabetes education among nursing personnel. The knowledge gaps identified by the Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test could also provide useful input for the content of educational activities. However, some revision of the test should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Centre for Evidence-Based Practice, Bergen University College, Post Box 7030, N-5020 Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haugstvedt
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aarflot
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Centre for Evidence-Based Practice, Bergen University College, Post Box 7030, N-5020 Bergen, Norway ; Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Jannicke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Igland
authors.affiliation: Innlandet Hospital Trust, Gjøvik, Norway.
authors.forename: Tilla
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Landbakk
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Centre for Evidence-Based Practice, Bergen University College, Post Box 7030, N-5020 Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Marit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Graue
keywords: Diabetes; Elderly; Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test; Nursing personnel