Impact of education on metabolic control in type 2 diabetic patients in family practice.
AIM to determine impact of passive and intensive education on values of HbA1c, blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, mass body index as well as on practicing of recommended physical activity and habit of smoking among patients with type 2 diabetes. METHOD From 130 patients with type 2 diabetes questioned, 91 completed cycles of 3 months of passive and 3 months of intensive education. It took place in 4 family practices on Tuzla Canton from December of 2004 to December of 2005. For this purpose the Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test was used for assessment about disease knowledge. Disease control was also assessed at the same time of diabetes knowledge testing, at the beginning, after 3 months and after 6 months of education. RESULTS After a passive and intensive education there has been a significant improvement (P < 0.05) on the following parameters of disease control: HbA1c, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and total cholesterol, however the difference in triglycerides, body mass index, smoking habits and practicing of regular recommended physical exercise statistically was not significant after passive and intensive education. CONCLUSION The total effect of passive and intensive education of patients with type 2 diabetes in our research resulted in improved metabolic control of the disease.