Assessment of Long-Term Knowledge Retention in Children with Type 1 Diabetes and Their Families: A Pilot Study

The education process for newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) patients and their families, primarily led by diabetes specialist nurses, is essential for gaining knowledge about the disease and its management. However, few assessment tools have been employed to evaluate long-term knowledge retention among T1D patients years after diagnosis.

We developed a 20-question test to assess the knowledge of patients and their families at the conclusion of the initial education process and again 6-12 months later. Demographic and clinical data were also collected. Statistical analyses included comparisons between the first and second test results, as well as evaluation of potential contributing factors. The internal consistency and construct validity of the questionnaire were evaluated.

Forty-four patients completed both assessments, with a median interval of 11.5 months between them. The average score on the first test was 88.6, which declined to 82.7 on the second assessment (p < 0.001). In univariate analysis, factors positively associated with higher scores included Jewish ethnicity, lower HbA1c levels, and shorter hospitalization duration. Multivariate analysis revealed that parents had lower odds of experiencing a significant score decline compared to patients. Cronbach's alpha was 0.69, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified eight components accounting for 67.1% of the total variance.

Healthcare providers should consider offering re-education to patients and their families approximately one year after diagnosis, with particular attention to high-risk populations during the initial education phase. Further studies are needed to examine this tool's performance in larger cohorts.