Characterization of the education of diabetic patients and their context in Fátima

Abstract

Objectives: To characterize some aspects regarding diabetes, the diabetics themselves, their families, and their health education. Type of Study: Descriptive, cross-sectional. Place: Fátima Health Centre. Population: Diabetics in the health centres patient rosters. Methods: Exploratory study conducted by post, adressing the diabetics at the Fátima Health Centre, according to a list given to the author by their family doctors. Results: The respondents average age was 64 years. They have been diabetics for a mean of 10.9 years. Eighty-nine (76.1%) are self-reliant for their medication and 82 (70.1%) for their food and meals. Only 35 (29.9%) recognise that their illness has changed their family life, and 57 (48.7%) go to see the doctor without an accompanying person. 108 (92.3%) state that they have learnt things about their illness from their doctor, and 42 (35.9%) from their friends and relatives. They most frequently learnt by talking with their doctor only (67, 57.3%), or by talking with other diabetics (42,35.9%). They would like to know more about complications: 71 (60.7%) want to know which are complications of diabetes, and 65 (55.6%) how to prevent them. Thirty-two (27.4%) have got a video recorder, and 68 (58.1%) are interested in using it to view films on diabetes. Although this sample was not representative of all health centres diabetics, we think we have reached our goals, in that the data collected from 117 diabetics (82.4% of the people surveyed) has greatly enriched our knowledge about these patiens.