The role of education levels on patients' treatment in type 2 diabetes

Abstract

One of the main problem in the treatment of diabetes is difficulty of achieving treatment target levels. In recent years, despite the improvements in diagnosis, treatment and follow-up methods, target hemoglobin A1c levels in diabetic individuals cannot be reached to the desired extent. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effects of the education status (levels) of patients on diabetes treatment. Four hundred and thirty-six diabetic individuals who applied to the internal medicine and endocrinology clinics between September 2017 and December 2017 were asked to fill in a questionnaire. The subjects were divided into 5 groups according to their education status. The groups were compared in terms of age, gender, cholesterol, hemogram parameters, hemoglobin A1c, and urinary microalbumin levels. The primary school graduate group consisted of the most crowded group (302 patients). Significant differences were found between education status groups in terms of age, gender distribution, body-mass index, and hematocrit values. Fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, lipid parameters, and urinary microalbumin levels were similar between groups. There was no relationship between education status and hemoglobin A1c. And also there was no relationship between education status and lipid levels. While we could not observe any relation between education level and the course of diabetes treatment we recommend to observe all diabetic patients closely.