Improving communication for enhanced self management
On Friday 22 June, a symposium entitled Enhancing Patient-Provider Communication for Self Management was held in the Lakeside Centre, Chicago. The opening talk was given by Professor Suzanne Johnson, Department of Medical Humanities and Social Sciences, Florida State College of Medicine. In it, she criticised the use of HbA1c as a marker of treatment adherence in diabetes, instead advocating an annual adherence audit developed by behavioural scientists. Such an audit would incorporate an assessment of the individual’s knowledge and skills, in addition to their daily disease management behaviour.
The Diabetes Personal Health Decisions tool (available at: www.diabetes.org/diabetesphd [accessed 22.08.2007]) was reviewed by William Polonsky, President of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute and Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of San Diego. ‘It can be a valuable tool for providers to use with patients as a means to talk about beliefs about diabetes and perceived risks,’ he concluded.
Geoffrey Williams, Associate Professor of Medicine; Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology; and Psychiatry at the University of Rochester, New York, closed the session by advising that people with diabetes are: ‘…fully engaged and willing to adhere to recommended treatments to improve their quality of life.’
Cardiac inpatients with diabetes lacking nutrition knowledge
Of 47 consecutive people with diabetes admitted to a hospital cardiac unit, 45% reported that they had received no nutrition advice in the past 5 years. In contrast, 30% had been given nutrition information from a registered dietitian within the past year. The three most common sources for diabetes nutrition information were a dietitian, the media and physicians.
This study found no significant correlation between time since last session of medical nutrition advice and the type of meal plan followed at home by the participants.
The authors hypothesised that hospitalisation may provide an opportunity for nutrition education.
Non-prescription medication use prevalent in people with type 2 diabetes
A survey into non-prescription medication use among 140 people with diabetes (50% type 2 diabetes) found supplemental medications were used by 52% of the survey population. Of those who used non-prescription products, the average prescription pill burden was 8.3 (range 1–18) per day, compared with the overall average of 7.3 (SD: 4.5)
Whether or not any of the supplemental therapies could negatively impact on diabetes control was not investigated.
Attempts to achieve remission, or at least a substantial improvement in glycaemic control, should be the initial focus at type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
9 May 2024