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Differential effect of diabetes education on self-regulation and life-style behaviors
R R Rubin1, M Peyrot, C D Saudek
1Diabetes Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
Objective:
To examine the effect of diabetes education on self-regulation and life-style behaviors.
Research Design And Methods:
Participants in an outpatient diabetes education program completed a protocol measuring several self-care behaviors and glycemic control at entry (n = 165) and 6 (n = 124) and 12 (n = 89) mo after the program.
Results:
Improvement was noted at 6 mo for most self-care behaviors and glycemic control. At 12 mo, lower glycosylated hemoglobin levels were maintained (P less than 0.001) without increases in perceived hypoglycemia. Improvement was not maintained for those self-care behaviors that require change in life-style, i.e., diet and exercise. However, self-care behaviors that allow patients to self-regulate their glycemic control--self-monitoring of blood glucose and insulin dose self-adjustment--were improved at 12 mo over preprogram levels (P less than 0.001). Frequency of insulin self-adjustment continued to increase during the period between follow-ups.
Conclusions:
The findings suggest that diabetes education is effective in promoting self-regulation behaviors, although it has less effect on traditional regimen behaviors such as diet and exercise.