Comparison of two different diabetic patient education programs

Abstract

Education of diabetic patients who live far from the diabetes centers is a major problem. Drop-outs from out-patient education programs is very high among such patients. So we conducted a short education program (two days, program 1) and compared the results of it with an eight-day structured program (program 2). Both programs included same topics and performed by the same education team. Fasting(FPC) and postprandial 2-hour(PPPG) plasma glucose levels and lipid profiles of the patients were evaluated before and after education. f PC levels of patients fell from 159 + 64 mg/dl to 128 + 36mg/dl on program 1 and 190 + 75 mg/dl to 149 + 51 mg/dl on program 2. PPPG levels decreased from 213 ± 86 mg/dl to 159 + 49 mg/dl and from 233 ± 88 mg/dl to 184+71 rng/dl on programs 1 and 2 respectively. A decline in HbA1c from 8.2 ± 1.3 % to 7.3 ± 1.2 % on program 1 and from 8.7 + 2% to 6.4 + 1 % on program 2 was observed. Cholesterol levels fell from 219 + 54 mg/dl to 204 ± 47 mg/dl with program 1 and from 234 ± 16 mg/dl to 192 ± 20 mg/dl with program 2. Triglycéride levels also decreased with program 1 and 2 (222 ± 109 mg/dl to 206 ± 80 mg/dl and 190 + 34 mg/dl to 170 + 31 mg/dl, respectively). Statistically significant improvement in metabolic control was observed in both education programs. These results suggest that short-time education programs are as effective as longer programs and can be put into practice for the patients who come to visit diabetes centers from distant parts of the country.