Biomaterial Database

Self management and patient understanding of diabetes in the older person. 2011

J Hewitt, and L Smeeth, and N Chaturvedi, and C J Bulpitt, and A E Fletcher

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Portsmouth Hospitals Trust, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK. hewitt@porthosp.nhs.uk

OBJECTIVE To examine knowledge and management of diabetes by older people. METHODS A representative sample of 1047 people with Type 2 diabetes, aged 75 years and over, were asked a series of questions relating to their diabetes management and their understanding of self management. The impact of cognitive impairment and socio-economic status were assessed. RESULTS The majority of people, 1015 (96.9%), were under the care of a health professional and 1018 (97.2%) were taking insulin, tablets, controlling their diet or a combination. Cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination ≤ 23) was found in 235 (22.5%) people. Recent eye, foot and dietician assessment was reported by 813 (77.7%), 836 (79.7%) and 326 (31.1%) people, respectively. A quarter overall and 70% of those taking insulin tested their blood glucose. In the insulin group, 78 (54.2%) reported hypoglycaemia and those with cognitive impairment gave more incorrect responses when asked about diabetes management. Socio-economic status made very little difference to any of these outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Most older people with diabetes, regardless of their socio-economic status, are under the care of a healthcare professional and use medication or diet to manage their disease. Large numbers also attend foot and eye examinations. However, over one fifth of older people with diabetes have cognitive impairment. Older people had a reasonable understanding of their diabetes management but this was worse in those people with cognitive impairment.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007003	Hypoglycemia	A syndrome of abnormally low BLOOD GLUCOSE level. Clinical hypoglycemia has diverse etiologies. Severe hypoglycemia eventually lead to glucose deprivation of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM resulting in HUNGER; SWEATING; PARESTHESIA; impaired mental function; SEIZURES; COMA; and even DEATH.	Fasting Hypoglycemia,Postabsorptive Hypoglycemia,Postprandial Hypoglycemia,Reactive Hypoglycemia,Hypoglycemia, Fasting,Hypoglycemia, Postabsorptive,Hypoglycemia, Postprandial,Hypoglycemia, Reactive
D007328	Insulin	A 51-amino acid pancreatic hormone that plays a major role in the regulation of glucose metabolism, directly by suppressing endogenous glucose production (GLYCOGENOLYSIS; GLUCONEOGENESIS) and indirectly by suppressing GLUCAGON secretion and LIPOLYSIS. Native insulin is a globular protein comprised of a zinc-coordinated hexamer. Each insulin monomer containing two chains, A (21 residues) and B (30 residues), linked by two disulfide bonds. Insulin is used as a drug to control insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 1).	Iletin,Insulin A Chain,Insulin B Chain,Insulin, Regular,Novolin,Sodium Insulin,Soluble Insulin,Chain, Insulin B,Insulin, Sodium,Insulin, Soluble,Regular Insulin
D008297	Male		Males
D010353	Patient Education as Topic	The teaching or training of patients concerning their own health needs.	Education of Patients,Education, Patient,Patient Education
D010817	Physician-Patient Relations	The interactions between physician and patient.	Doctor-Patient Relations,Doctor Patient Relations,Physician Patient Relations,Physician Patient Relationship,Doctor Patient Relation,Doctor-Patient Relation,Physician Patient Relation,Physician Patient Relationships,Physician-Patient Relation,Relation, Doctor Patient,Relation, Doctor-Patient,Relation, Physician Patient,Relation, Physician-Patient,Relations, Doctor Patient,Relations, Doctor-Patient,Relations, Physician Patient,Relations, Physician-Patient,Relationship, Physician Patient,Relationships, Physician Patient
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D003072	Cognition Disorders	Disorders characterized by disturbances in mental processes related to learning, thinking, reasoning, and judgment.	Overinclusion,Disorder, Cognition,Disorders, Cognition
D003142	Communication	The exchange or transmission of ideas, attitudes, or beliefs between individuals or groups.	Miscommunication,Misinformation,Social Communication,Communication Programs,Communications Personnel,Personal Communication,Communication Program,Communication, Personal,Communication, Social,Communications, Social,Miscommunications,Misinformations,Personnel, Communications,Program, Communication,Programs, Communication,Social Communications
D003924	Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2	A subclass of DIABETES MELLITUS that is not INSULIN-responsive or dependent (NIDDM). It is characterized initially by INSULIN RESISTANCE and HYPERINSULINEMIA; and eventually by GLUCOSE INTOLERANCE; HYPERGLYCEMIA; and overt diabetes. Type II diabetes mellitus is no longer considered a disease exclusively found in adults. Patients seldom develop KETOSIS but often exhibit OBESITY.	Diabetes Mellitus, Adult-Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Ketosis-Resistant,Diabetes Mellitus, Maturity-Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent,Diabetes Mellitus, Slow-Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Stable,MODY,Maturity-Onset Diabetes Mellitus,NIDDM,Diabetes Mellitus, Non Insulin Dependent,Diabetes Mellitus, Noninsulin Dependent,Diabetes Mellitus, Noninsulin-Dependent,Diabetes Mellitus, Type II,Maturity-Onset Diabetes,Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus,Type 2 Diabetes,Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus,Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus,Diabetes Mellitus, Adult Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Ketosis Resistant,Diabetes Mellitus, Maturity Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Slow Onset,Diabetes, Maturity-Onset,Diabetes, Type 2,Ketosis-Resistant Diabetes Mellitus,Maturity Onset Diabetes,Maturity Onset Diabetes Mellitus,Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus,Noninsulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus,Slow-Onset Diabetes Mellitus,Stable Diabetes Mellitus
D005260	Female		Females