Evaluation of diabetic patients' home urine glucose testing technique and ability to interpret results

The attention of diabetes educators has focused on home blood glucose monitoring, with little attention being given to the educational needs of patients who choose to perform home urine glucose monitoring. This study assessed patients' urine glucose testing technique and ability to interpret test results. A questionnaire was developed and administered by clinic nurses to 100 adults with diabetes who perform home urine glucose monitoring. Patients selected the urine testing product they used at home and demonstrated the technique using a prepared glucose solution. The nurse recorded whether patients correctly performed each step in the procedure according to product instructions. Results indicated that 61% of patients did not perform the procedure correctly. Patients had difficulty reading package insert instructions, could not correctly read a clock, did not wait the correct amount of time before reading test results, and did not routinely keep written result diaries. This study demonstrates the importance of routine review of home urine glucose testing with the product used at home.