Diabetes Self-Management Education and Association With Diabetes Self-Care and Clinical Preventive Care Practices

The purpose of the study is to assess self-reported receipt of diabetes education among people with diabetes and its association with following recommended self-care and clinical preventive care practices.

We analyzed data from the 2017 and 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for 61 424 adults (≥18 years) with self-reported diabetes in 43 states and Washington, DC. Diabetes education was defined as ever taking a diabetes self-management class. The association of diabetes education with self-care practices (daily glucose testing, daily foot checks, smoking abstention, and engaging in leisure-time physical activity) and clinical practices (pneumococcal vaccination, biannual A1C test, and an annual dilated eye exam, influenza vaccination, health care visit for diabetes, and foot exam by a medical professional) was assessed. Multivariable logistic regression with predicted margins was used to predict the probability of following these practices, by diabetes education, controlling for sociodemographic factors.

Of adults with diabetes, only half reported receiving diabetes education. Results indicate that receipt of diabetes education is associated with following self-care and clinical preventive care practices. Those who did receive diabetes education had a higher predicted probability for following all 4 self-care practices (smoking abstention, daily glucose testing, daily foot check, and engaging in leisure-time physical activity) and all 6 clinical practices (pneumonia vaccination, biannual A1C test, and an annual eye exam, flu vaccination, health care visit, and medical foot exam).

The prevalence of adults with diabetes receiving diabetes education remains low. Increasing receipt of diabetes education may improve diabetes-related preventive care.