Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic controllable but not curable disease. The aim of this study is to understand the difference of serum sugar level, hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), and associated metabolic markers after DM education intervention for DM patients at a rural area. Subjects were collected
retrospectively from a database for outpatients with diabetes in a regional hospital in Mid-Taiwan during December 2002 to July 2007. 804 education group subjects and 579 non-education group subjects meeting the inclusion criteria were recruited. Management and analysis of the data were performed by EXCEL 2003 and SPSS 12.0 for Windows.
After DM health education protocol, the results of HbA1C, fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol,
triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were improved.
There was the significant difference between these two groups in the average values of HbA1C, fasting serum sugar, total cholesterol and triglycerides. Even all improved, however, the average values of HbA1C, fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol in the education group were improve, but only fasting blood sugar and triglycerides achieved the target suggested by the American Diabetes Association. We advised empowerment to improve the self-care ability in diabetes patients.
