Patient Education: Assessing the Barriers to Utilize & Create Effective Educational Resources for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM)

Miller, Alexandra K

Item

Patient Education: Assessing the Barriers to Utilize & Create Effective Educational Resources for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM)

Miller, Alexandra K

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Abstract

Despite a myriad of diabetic information, group classes and diabetic patient educators, patient’s with poorly controlled diabetes persist. Educating patient's on diet and lifestyle modifications are particularly challenging for the patient and provider and making the changes are even harder. The use of printed patient education material in a primary care setting and referral practices to diabetic educators was evaluated by distributing a brief survey to staff in a primary care office. The convenience sampling showed that some staff did not offer printed materials at all and patient's seldom requested these resources. The referral practices and preference of counseling patient's on diet and exercise was provider specific. Practice guidelines may benefit patient's and increase participation in group classes and prevention programs that focus on behavioral changes, diet and lifestyle modifications.