What is it about?
This study aimed to know if educating persons with diabetes living in a resource-poor rural agricultural town will lead to an improvement in their body measurements, blood tests and health behavior. Participants who received diabetes self-management education (DSME) were found to have lower median HbA1c, a greater reduction in HbA1c from baseline for up to 6 months of follow-up compared to those who received standard care. Likewise, a greater proportion of those who received the educational program had good control of their diabetes, defined as HbA1c of 7.0% or less. Another significant outcome was that education led to a change in health behavior as more people now performed self-examination of their feet to recognize non-healing wounds earlier.
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Why is it important?
The setting of this study is a resource-poor rural agricultural town. Interventions for diabetes can be unaffordable to many or may even be inaccesible. In this study, we have shown that a simple education program which does not cost much can significantly help diabetes patients improve their blood sugar control and even improve their health behavior.
Perspectives
Endocrinology is usually seen as a specialty that is too dependent on expensive, hi-tech lab tests and its practice is often in specialty centers. In this project I have been involved in, I have seen how the practice of endocrinology is very useful in the grassroots level. Working for this project meant walking through rice paddies and banana plantations to visit the health centers and even the homes of our participants with diabetes. It also meant dealing directly with patients who rarely see a doctor and who feel so appreciative of being seen by one. It meant educating those who know very little about their diabetes, and empowering them how to take charge of their health. It also meant establishing a relationship with them since we had to see them several times for their follow-ups This project has removed me from the daily grind of the hospital and the clinic in the city. It brought me closer to the ordinary Filipino living in the countryside. It brings me much joy to be given this opportunity and privilege of teaching and caring for my ordinary fellowmen. What further joy it is to see that our efforts in teaching them indeed translated to improved diabetes control and health behavior.
Dr. Mark Anthony S Sandoval
University of the Philippines Manila
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Effectiveness of a community-based diabetes self-management education (DSME) program in a rural agricultural setting, Primary Health Care Research & Development, September 2016, Cambridge University Press,
DOI: 10.1017/s1463423616000335.
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