The relationship between patient education and glycaemic control in a South African township.

Abstract

To investigate if there is a relationship between patients' perceived diabetes education and their glycaemic control. Two hundred and forty-seven diabetic (both DM 1 and DM 2) patients who were treated for diabetes in a primary nurse led health care clinic in South Africa were analyzed. Patients were interviewed, and information was retrieved from the patients' medical record. Fasting blood glucose levels were <7.0 mmol/l in 17.6% of the patients, 79.3% of the patients had a BMI>2788.2% of the patients received information about diabetes, the majority received information from the nurse. Patients with a higher educational level and patients who received education tended to have a better glycaemic control. (n.s.) Significantly more patients who received information had a good or acceptable FBG level (p=0.03). The recorded prevalence of chronic complications was low. Glycaemic control was suboptimal in the big majority of patients. Education had a positive effect on glycaemic control, albeit not impressive. Also in South Africa poor health literacy should be taken into account in diabetes education.