Evaluation of a self-management-based patient education program for the treatment and prevention of hypoglycemia-related problems in type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE

Aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a patient education program for the treatment of hypoglycemia-associated problems in type 1 diabetic inpatients.

METHODS

In this observational controlled pre-post study, the intervention group (IG; N = 105) participated in the new program, controls (control group CG; N = 102) received conventional patient education on hypoglycemia.

RESULTS

Follow-up data (mean follow-up: 6.63 months) were obtained from 177 patients (85.6%). Though severe hypoglycemia also decreased in CG to some degree, the decrease in IG was higher than in CG, but fails to reach significance between groups. Hypoglycemia awareness remained constant in IG, whereas some deterioration was observed in CG (p = 0.06). Prevalence of hypoglycemia-related problems decreased in IG, whereas in CG it remained constant. No differential effects with regard to psychological well being, fear of hypoglycemia and late complications, and control beliefs were observed.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the new intervention program is an effective treatment. The effectiveness should be confirmed, however, in a randomized controlled trial, also incorporating outpatient settings.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

A self-management intervention targeting the patients' health beliefs and attitudes towards hypoglycemia and their diabetes self-management, rather than knowledge-centered patient education, can help to ameliorate or even prevent hypoglycemia-associated problems.