Patient knowledge of diabetes does not improve disease control, researchers say
Patients with diabetes who have a better understanding of their condition do not necessarily have better disease control, research suggests.
In a recent study, researchers assessed the diabetes-related knowledge
and clinical data of 200 patients who had been admitted to hospital with
an acute coronary syndrome. Six months later the patients’ clinical
measurements were reassessed.
The researchers found no correlation between how much the patients knew
about their condition and their blood sugar control, cholesterol levels,
or weight management, even after adjusting for factors such as age, duration
of diabetes and years of education. Nor was an association found between
rates of death and myocardial infarction and patient knowledge.
They say that despite a belief that poor patient understanding impedes
self-management of the condition and thus accelerates cardiovascular
complications, they found no such relationship.
Although educating patients about their condition may be important, the
researchers say that new strategies are needed to translate understanding
of disease into better risk factor modification in these patients (American
Journal of Cardiology 2005;95:1290). |
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