Impact of Physician and Patient Education on Type 2 Diabetes Outcome in Primary Health Care Units, Al-Gharbiyah Governorate, Egypt

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) leads to multiple complications that include macrovascular and microvascular complications. Proper management will result in decreased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Physicians and patients’ education on diabetes outcome in primary health care units, Al-Gharbiya Governorate, Egypt.

Methods: The study was carried out on primary health care physicians and their assigned patients in Al-Gharbiyah Governorate from October 2015 till October 2017. Study was carried-out in 2 phases. Phase 1 (Physician's phase): A sum of forty of primary health care physicians working in primary health care were recruited in the study. Phase 2 (Patient's phase): Those 200 patients were engaged in an educational program for self-management of diabetes using IDF (International Diabetes Federation) education maps.

Results: Knowledge and attitude of physicians were significantly higher after completion of educational program than Baseline. The mean Body mass index (BMI), Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP)and Glycated HaemoglobinHbA1cafter 1 year and after 6 months were significantly lower than before and after 1 year than after 6 months. The number of patients who have exercised activities after 1 year and after 6 months were significantly higher than before and after 1 year than after 6 months.

Conclusions: The educational program applied in this study led to significant improvement of physician’s knowledge and attitude which helps in providing better care of diabetic patients. The educational program applied in this study led to significant improvement of diabetic patients’ lifestyle and outcome, which will subsequently lead to reduction in diabetic complications.