Assessment of Skills and Knowledge About the Disease Among Teenagers With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
The aim of this study was to compare skills and knowledge of teenagers with type 1 diabetes mellitus about the disease at 3, 6, and 12 months after diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The study was carried out at the diabetes school of the Unit of Children Endocrinology, Clinic of Endocrinology, Hospital of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. The study population comprised 90 teenagers with type 1 diabetes mellitus aged 13 to 17 years. They had an initial training course consisting of 5 sessions. After the training course, a questionnaire to evaluate teenagers’ knowledge was used. Each question in the questionnaire was considered separately by giving 1 point for a correct answer and no points for an incorrect answer. After 3, 6, and 12 months, the survey was repeated, and practical skills were tested. RESULTS. After the 5-day training course, the knowledge about the self-control of diabetes was rated by a score of 10. After 3 months, the level of knowledge remained the same, while after 6 and 12 months, the level of knowledge was rated by score of 9 and 8, respectively. There was a significant decrease in the percentage of teenagers who regularly filled out a diary: after 3, 6, and 12 months, 81.8%, 60.9%, and 34% of the patients regularly filled out a diary (P<0.05). The percentage of the patients who calculated the amount of carbohydrates consumed significantly decreased as well: there were 88.6%, 54.2%, and 50% of the respondents were able to calculate the right amount of carbohydrates after 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively (P<0.05). An examination of injection sites showed no skin changes among the respondents after 3 months. After 6 and 12 months, there were skin changes at injection sites in 6% and 31.1% of the respondents, respectively. The percentage of the teenagers involved in the prevention of hypoglycemia significantly decreased. After 3, 6, and 12 months, 86%, 64%, and 43.3% of the respondents carried a supply of carbohydrates with themselves (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS. Three months after the training course, the level of knowledge about diabetes mellitus among patients was estimated to be excellent and very good, while after 6 and 12 months, it was considered to be good or average. Three months after the training course, the teenagers demonstrated the best skills. Most of the respondents regularly filled out the self-control diary, calculated the right amount of carbohydrates, and had glucose tablets to prevent hypoglycemia.
Correspondence to V. Bulikaitė Department of Nursing and Care, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių 2, 50161 Kaunas, Lithuania. bulikaitevirginija@yahoo.com