Effectiveness of a structured diabetes self-management education program using high-definition video technology in...

One of the most common chronic disorders in children is type 1 diabetes (T1D). It requires regular evaluation, stringent glycemic control, and comprehensive education on disease management. The aim of this work is to evaluate the effectiveness of Audio-visual technology as a tool for self-management education in pediatric patients with T1D attending diabetes outpatient clinics in Health Insurance Hospitals.

his interventional pre-post study was conducted on 100 patients with T1D at the Diabetes Endocrine Metabolic Pediatric Unit (DEMPU) of Cairo University Children's Hospital and the Diabetes Outpatient Clinic of 6th October Hospital for Health Insurance, Egypt, between May 2016 and February 2017. Participants were consecutively recruited from eligible patients attending routine outpatient clinic visits during the study period. A structured questionnaire assessing diabetes self-management knowledge was administered at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 2- and 4-month follow-up after a video-based educational program.

Diabetes-related knowledge scores significantly improved from 36.36 ± 7.94 at baseline to 42.07 ± 7.82 post-intervention, with sustained retention at 4 months (42.61 ± 8.47, p< 0.001). HbA1c levels significantly decreased at 4 months (mean change -0.81 ± 1.18%), with 78% of participants showing improvement (p< 0.001). The proportion achieving target glycemic control increased from 19% to 29%, while poor control decreased from 41% to 30%. Knowledge gain was independently associated with HbA1c reduction.

A structured diabetes self-management education program using high-definition video technology was associated with significant improvements in diabetes knowledge and glycemic control. These findings support the role of structured educational interventions as an effective and scalable strategy for improving clinical outcomes in patients with type 1 diabetes.

This study highlights the utility of high-definition video technology as an effective educational tool to improve diabetes knowledge and self-management in pediatric patients with T1D, offering a scalable solution for diabetes education programs.