Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: National and International Guidelines on the education of children and families when diagnosed with type I diabetes are largely based on clinicians’ opinion but not patients’ or parents’ views on this important issue. We conducted a literature search using EMBASE, MEDLINE and CINAHL databases from 1980 to present which found no articles relating to patient opinion.

Methods: We developed a questionnaire from a list of 34 education topics related to diabetes based on existing national and international guidelines (ISPAD, NICE, ADA, SIGN) and sent it to 160 patients (or parents) with type I DM. For each topic patients were asked to give their opinion on A. the importance of the topic at the time when a child is diagnosed and B. the urgency of timing from diagnosis that education on this topic should be provided.

Results: 79 respondents with a mean age from diagnosis of 4.7 years (range 3 months–15 years) and mean age at time of completing questionnaire of 11.7 years (range 1.5–17.8 years). Results of interest included mean scores for timing (67 and 55% respectively) indicating that patients want to meet the Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse and lead consultant within 24 hours of diagnosis. Mean scores for information on pumps, carbohydrate counting and different types of insulin regimens (28, 28 and 45%) indicated patients prefer to wait for within 2, 2 and 1 week respectively for this information. Education on long term complications scored 25% (i.e. within 2 weeks of diagnosis).

Conclusions: In the current climate of best practice tariffs formal education of patients is increasingly important. This study provides information on patients’ opinions on the importance and timing of topics for this education. This study can therefore lend weight to support guidelines on diabetes education.