Positive health beliefs are associated with improvement of glycated hemoglobin and lipid profiles in Mexican patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Health beliefs are relevant to consider in patients with type 2 diabetes since disease control depends mainly on the patient's behaviour. The aim of this study was to assess the association between health beliefs and glycated hemoglobin levels in Mexican patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted, and 336 patients were included. Fasting blood levels of glycated hemoglobin, glucose, cholesterol; triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) were measured. Body fat percentage, weight, height; waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were also obtained. A previously validated self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the health beliefs with regards to non-pharmacological treatment. Health beliefs were classified as positive, neutral, and negative. RESULTS: The average age of patients was 54.7 ± 8.5 years, with a higher proportion of females (69%). The questionnaire had a good internal consistency with a Cronbach's alpha score of 0.83. More than 90% of patients attributed a health benefit to diet and exercise, 30 to 40% experienced barriers, and more than 80% had a perception of complications associated to uncontrolled diabetes. Patients with positive health beliefs had lower HbA1c levels (8.2 ± 1.7%) compared to those with neutral (9.0 ± 2.3%), or negative (8.8 ± 1.8%; p = 0.042). The LDL-c levels were lower (p = 0.03), and HDL-c levels were higher (0.002) in patients with positive heath beliefs. CONCLUSIONS: Positive health beliefs are associated with better metabolic control indicators in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Education with a multimedia web platform improves knowledge and HbA1c of Mexican patients with type 2 diabetes. Open clinical trial. / La educación con una plataforma multimedia en web mejora los conocimientos y la HbA1c de pacientes mexicanos con diabetes tipo 2. Ensayo clínico abierto.

INTRODUCTION: The patient with diabetes mellitus type requires to receive education about the disease aimed at improving knowledge and skills for their control. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of nutritional therapy and education through a multimedia site on the level of knowledge and metabolic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Open-label clinical trial of 12 months of follow-up in 161 patients with type 2 diabetes. A total of 101 patients were assigned to the intervention group with nutrition therapy (TN) + Nutriluv (multimedia site in diabetes), 80 patients to the TN control group. The glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and HDL cholesterol were measured at the beginning and end. Weight, waist circumference, percentage of fat, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were recorded. The level of knowledge was measured with the Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire (DKQ24). RESULTS: The knowledge in diabetes improved in the group with TN+Nutriluv compared with the TN group (P<0.05). HbA1c, HDL, diastolic blood pressure and waist circumference, improved in the group with TN+Nutriluv (P<0.05). In the group with TN, cholesterol HDL, diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference and the fat percentage was increased (P<0.05). They had a higher risk of having an HbA1c>7% who had more years of diagnosis of diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a multimedia site with education in diabetes, improves knowledge, HbA1c, and other indicators of cardiovascular risk in diabetes type 2 patients.

La educación con un sitio multimedia en combinación con la terapia nutricia mejora el estilo de vida y la HbA1c en diabetes mellitus tipo 2. Estudio clínico cuasiexperimental / Effects of a multimedia educational intervention on lifestyles and metabolic control of adult diabetic patients

Background Education is the mainstay of medical management of chronic non communicable diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Aim To assess the effects of a multimedia diabetes education intervention and nutritional therapy on lifestyle changes and metabolic control of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Material and Methods We studied 219 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus aged 56 ± 8 years (28% males). They received education through a multimedia site about control indicators, complications, nutrition and physical exercise, among others. They also received a personalized nutritional therapy. They were followed-up for one year. At baseline and the end of follow up they were weighed, and their waist circumference and blood pressure were measured. A fasting blood sample was withdrawn to measure glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin and lipid profile. Lifestyles were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire called IMEVID. Results The median duration of diabetes was six years. During the follow up, patients had a significant reduction in body weight, waist circumference and blood pressure and improvements in glycosylated hemoglobin, HDL and LDL cholesterol. Seven and 13% of patients reported favorable lifestyles at baseline and the end of follow up, respectively (p < 0.01). Compared with their counterparts with unfavorable lifestyles, patients with a favorable lifestyle had a significantly lower weight and glycosylated hemoglobin at the end of follow up. Conclusions The educational intervention along with nutritional therapy improved metabolic control and lifestyles in this group of diabetic patients.