The impact of patient navigation on glycemic control, adherence to self-care and knowledge about diabetes: an intervention study.

BACKGROUND: Patient navigation helps with better adherence to treatment, as well as better knowledge about diabetes and greater interest in performing, monitoring, and seeking health care. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of patient navigation on glycemic control, disease knowledge, adherence to self-care in people with type 1 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: This is an intervention study using a single group pre-test post-test design, carried out in a tertiary public teaching hospital in Southern Brazil. Participants over 18 years of age and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes were included. In total, three teleconsultations and one face-to-face consultation were carried out, with three-month intervals, until completing one year of follow-up. The nurse navigator conducted diabetes education based on the guidelines of the Brazilian Diabetes Society and the Nursing Interventions Classification. The differences between glycated hemoglobin, adherence to self-care, and knowledge about initial and final diabetes were estimated to verify the effect of patient navigation by nurses, according to the tool applied in the first and last consultations. Interaction analyses between variables were also performed. Student's t-test, Generalized Estimating Equations, Wilcoxon test, and McNemar test were used. RESULTS: The final sample consisted of 152 participants, of which 85 (55.9%) were women, with a mean age of 45 ± 12 years, and diabetes duration of 23.6 ± 11.1 years. Nurse navigators conducted 812 teleconsultations and 158 face-to-face consultations. After the intervention, glycemic control improved in 37 (24.3%) participants (p < 0.001), and knowledge about diabetes also improved in 37 (24.3%) participants (p < 0.001). Adherence to self-care increased in 82 (53.9%) patients (p < 0.001). The analysis of the interaction between glycemic control and the results from the questionnaire of knowledge about diabetes showed an interaction effect (p = 0.005). However, we observed no interaction effect between glycemic control and the results from the questionnaire on adherence to self-care (p = 0.706). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed improvement in glycemic control, adherence to self-care, and knowledge of diabetes in the study participants. In addition, they suggest that patient navigation performed by nurses is promising and feasible in improving care for patients with type 1 diabetes.

Knowledge about diabetes and its association with adherence to self-care and glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes in Southern Brazil.

Objective: To evaluate the association between knowledge about the disease, adherence to self-care, and glycemic control in people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study of patients aged over 18 years diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus, treated at an outpatient clinic of a Brazilian university hospital. Participants with other types of diabetes, cognitive impairment, pregnancy, and outpatient discharge were excluded. Data were collected from January to March 2021 (by telephone call), with questions about the participants' profile, diabetes knowledge questionnaire (DKN-A), and self-care inventory revised (SCI-R) translated into and adapted for Brazilian Portuguese. Data analysis involved chi-square associations, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Poisson regression. Results: Among 198 adult participants, the mean age was 42 ± 12 years, 53.5% were women, the mean glycated hemoglobin was 8.6 ± 1.6%, 140 (70.8%) had satisfactory knowledge about diabetes, 65 (32.8%) had adherence to self-care, and 46 (23.2%) had adequate glycemic control. We found an association between knowledge and adherence to self-care (p < 0.001). Knowledge was not associated with glycemic control (p = 0.705). Conclusion: Knowledge about diabetes was associated with greater adherence to self-care in people with type 1 diabetes mellitus, but it did not reflect in better glycemic control.

Organizational intervention to improve access to retinopathy screening for patients with diabetes mellitus: health care service improvement project in a tertiary public hospital.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to improve the access to diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening with retinographies in a tertiary care center through a process conducted by an interdisciplinary group driven by a nurse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a quality improvement study that evaluated the flow for DR screening conducted by an interdisciplinary group using the Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology. As a result measure, we assessed the quantity of retinographies performed after the project implementation, the proportion of patients who presented abnormal retinographies, and the proportion of patients referred to a specialist. RESULTS: The new patient screening flow and the reinforcement of available human resources led to an increase in the number of retinographies performed and screened patients. A total of 1184 retinographies were conducted, and it was possible to observe DR alterations in 37.8 % patients, of which only 6 % needed to be referred to the DR reference center. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a significant increase in the number of retinographies performed. The Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology was an important tool to improve the flow of patient access to fundus images, helping to consistently and continuously improve these processes.

Optimization of Care for Adult Outpatients With Type 2 Diabetes Through the Diabetes Self-Management Multidisciplinary Program: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVES: Our aim in this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a Self-Management Multidisciplinary Program (MP) on glycemic management, quality of life and diabetes self-care activities. METHODS: People with type 2 diabetes and glycated hemoglobin (A1C) of >7.5% were randomized to participate in the MP or to usual care (UC). The MP consisted of face-to-face meetings with each health-care provider (nurse, pharmacist, dietitian, physical educator and social worker) to approach diabetes self-management issues. MP topics were tailored toward local habits and culture. Three different modules were offered over 12 weeks. The primary outcome was change in A1C from baseline to 12 months. Diabetes Quality of Life and Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities questionnaires were assessed at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. RESULTS: Ninety-six participants were included (mean 59 years of age, 60% women, diabetes duration 16±10 years, 62% of lower middle/low socioeconomic status). Change in A1C at 12 months (UC: 0.52% [95% confidence interval, -1.07 to 0.04]; MP: -0.30% [95% confidence interval, -1.05 to 0.44]; p=0.33) was not different between the groups. There was an increase in satisfaction and a reduction in worry about future effects of diabetes in the MP group, which was not found in the UC group. CONCLUSIONS: A short-term self-management multidisciplinary program improved diabetes-related quality of life but failed to reduce A1C in individuals with longstanding type 2 diabetes and a low socioeconomic status.

The rational treatment of diabetes mellitus in older adults: The adequacy of treatment decisions based on individualized glycemic targets in primary and tertiary care.

OBJECTIVES: To access the adequacy of treatment decisions in accordance with current recommendations for individualizing glycemic targets in primary and tertiary care. METHODS: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted with a cohort of older type 2 diabetes patients from southern Brazil. Inclusion criteria were age over 65 years, having a previous diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (according to ADA criteria) and having at least two consultations registered in the medical records within one year. The primary outcome was the adequacy of treatment decisions according to pre-established HbA1c targets, which was compared with the complexity of care. The ideal HbA1c targets were: (1) 7-7.5% for an estimated life expectancy >10 years; (2) 7.5-8% for a life expectancy of 5-10 years; (3) 8-8.5% for a life expectancy <5 years. For analysis, the chi-square test was used for categorical variables and the t-test was used for continuous variables. RESULTS: Overall, 49.1% and 50.3% of the patients in the primary and tertiary care groups, respectively, received inadequate management. In patients whose HbA1c level was over target, the treatment was intensified in 46.3% and 51.2% of the primary and tertiary care groups, respectively (p = 0.57). In patients whose HbA1c level was under target, treatment was de-intensified in 5.9% and 26.2% in the primary and tertiary care groups, respectively (p <0.01). CONCLUSION: Treatment changes based on individualized glycemic targets do occur in a minority of patients, which reflects the need for new strategies to facilitate individualized treatment targets and optimize the treatment adequacy in older adults.

Quality indicators in type 2 diabetes patient care: analysis per care-complexity level.

BACKGROUND: This study was developed to evaluate quality indicators in type 2 diabetes patient care at the Unified Public Health System's primary and tertiary health care centers within a local population. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort of 488 patients with type 2 diabetes (148 in each primary health care unit, ESF and UBS, and 192 at the tertiary health care unit) with a 1-year follow-up to evaluate the following care quality indicators: nephropathy, neuropathy and retinopathy tests, yearly lipid profile and nutritional assessments, and an inquiry about tobacco use. The presence of > 50% of the quality of care assessment measures was considered acceptable. Indicators were also evaluated in relation to patients without proper diabetes control (HbA1c > 8.5%). RESULTS: In the results, a high percentage of patients were excluded specifically for not presenting the two HbA1c tests within a year (n = 208, 58.1% at ESF; n = 225, 58.4% at UBS; and n = 39, 16.9% at the tertiary health care unit). From the included patients, only 7 (4.7%) at ESF, 7 (4.7%) at UBS, and 52 (27.0%) at the tertiary health care unit showed > 50% of the quality criteria covered. When only patients without proper diabetes control were evaluated, none of them at any of the health care units showed all the quality criteria covered. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show a low percentage of care assessment measures at each evaluated health care unit, pointing out the need to improve the protocols and care lines of diabetic patients.

Knowledge about diabetes and its association with adherence to self-care and glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes in Southern Brazil

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the association between knowledge about the disease, adherence to self-care, and glycemic control in people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study of patients aged over 18 years diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus, treated at an outpatient clinic of a Brazilian university hospital. Participants with other types of diabetes, cognitive impairment, pregnancy, and outpatient discharge were excluded. Data were collected from January to March 2021 (by telephone call), with questions about the participants' profile, diabetes knowledge questionnaire (DKN-A), and self-care inventory revised (SCI-R) translated into and adapted for Brazilian Portuguese. Data analysis involved chi-square associations, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Poisson regression. Results: Among 198 adult participants, the mean age was 42 ± 12 years, 53.5% were women, the mean glycated hemoglobin was 8.6 ± 1.6%, 140 (70.8%) had satisfactory knowledge about diabetes, 65 (32.8%) had adherence to self-care, and 46 (23.2%) had adequate glycemic control. We found an association between knowledge and adherence to self-care (p < 0.001). Knowledge was not associated with glycemic control (p = 0.705). Conclusion: Knowledge about diabetes was associated with greater adherence to self-care in people with type 1 diabetes mellitus, but it did not reflect in better glycemic control.