Diabetes care and self-monitoring of type 2 diabetic patients in a rural district of West-Pomeranian Province

Abstract

Introduction. Few surveys conducted in diabetic patients from rural regions show that in these subjects monitoring of diabetes is worse than in patients from urban areas. Objectives. To assess methods of diabetes care provided for type 2 diabetic patients residing in a rural region and methods of the patient self-monitoring of glycemia, blood pressure and foot self-care. Patients and methods. The survey was conducted in a rural district of West-Pomeranian province, in the primary health care center, where 279 type 2 diabetic patients were registered. Out of all patients invited to participate in a questionnaire survey, 168 were enrolled. The mean age of subjects was 67.2 ±9.9 years (range 46-91 years), diabetes duration of 8.2 ±6.6 years, and body mass index of 32.6 ±6.3 kg/m². Data concerning diabetes care and methods of the patient self-control of glycemia, blood pressure and foot self-care were collected. Results. The majority of patients (62%) were treated only by general practitioners, but 80% reported that they visited their doctors for diabetes treatment once a month. For 90% of subjects the term "HbA 1c " was unknown. Only 40% of patients performed self-monitoring of glycemia, 55%-of blood pressure and 34% examined their feet. Conclusions. The vast majority of patients from a rural region in West-Pomeranian province is treated only by general practitioners. Despite quite frequent medical visits related to diabetes, education of patients is still unsatisfactory, which was demonstrated by patients' lack of knowledge concerning the basic parameter of laboratory monitoring, HbA 1c , as well as insufficient self-management of glycemia, blood pressure and infrequent foot exam.

Prevalence of Poor Diabetes Self-Management Behaviors among Ethiopian Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta- Analysis

“…This finding agrees with a study report from Egypt where 78.6% of the study participants did not adhere to self-blood glucose monitoring ( 53 ). However, this finding does not agree with findings from Saudi Arabia (29.2%) ( 56 ), Poland (40%) ( 57 ) and Oman (64.7%) ( 58 ). Despite the increasing level of diabetic cases, advancement in technology and medicine, glycemic level controlling has been insignificant in most diabetic patients in developing countries such as Ethiopia due to glucometer unaffordability and knowledge gaps.…”

Compliance to Diabetes Self-Management in Rural El-Mina, Egypt

“…Nearly three quarters of the studied sample performed selfmonitoring of their blood glucose, another study reported that only 40% of patients did so (18). Self-management skills could improve with longer duration of the disease.…”

<p>Polish Adaptation of the Self-Care of Diabetes Inventory (SCODI)</p>

“…The studies that have been conducted concern the assessment of only selected variables which play a role in disease management, such as self-monitoring of blood glucose, blood pressure and foot self-care. 28,29 The Polish adaptation of the SCODI may increase the research area in the evaluation of self-care in patients living with diabetes. This is significant due to the fact that a lack of systematic self-care assessment may contribute to a passive attitude in patients and thus cause low effectiveness of disease management.…”