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© 1998 Oxford University Press

research-article

Age-related decline in the knowledge of diabetes mellitus and hypoglycaemic symptoms in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients in Hong Kong

CHO YIN YUNG, SAMUEL L. S. TSE, KENNETH S. Y. CHAN1, CHRIS K. C. CHOW1, CECILIA W. S. YAU1, THOMAS Y. K. CHAN1, and JULIAN A. J. H. CRITCHLEY1

Department of Medicine, Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital Kowloon, Hong Kong
1Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital Shatin, New Terntories, Hong Kong

Address correspondence to: T.Y.K. Chan. Fax: (+852) 26 32 3108

OBJECTIVE:: to study the relationship between age and knowledge of diabetes mellitus and hypoglycaemic symptoms and adherence to medical advice in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in Hong Kong.

DESIGN:: patient interviews and data collection performed by pharmacy students under the supervision of the attending physicians.

SETTING:: a medical outpatient clinic of a district general/convalescent hospital.

PATIENTS:: 126 patients (56 men, 70 women), aged 50–82 years (mean 64.3 years), seen during a 7-week period.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:: two different lists of 10 and 13 questions were used to assess patients' knowledge of diabetes mellitus and adherence to medical advice (maximum score=10) and knowledge of hypoglycaemic symptoms (maximum score=13).

RESULTS:: the mean ± SD scores for the first questionnaire in patients aged ≤55 (n=26), 56–65 (n=32), 66–75 (n=53) and ≥76 (n=15) years were 5.1 ±0.4, 4.2±0.3, 3.5±0.2 and 2.7±0.3 (overall 3.9±0.2). The corresponding scores for the second questionnaire were 6.0 ±0.7, 4.4±0.7, 3.8±0.5 and 1.9±0.9 (overall 4.2±0.4). Score in the two questionnaires was also related to previous attendance at education classes but not previous hypoglycaemic attacks. Among the 103 patients who had attended education classes before, scores declined with time.

CONCLUSIONS:: knowledge of diabetes mellitus and hypoglycaemic symptoms and adherence to medical advice declined with age and time since last education class attended. Elderly diabetic patients should receive a continuing programme of education.

Keywords: Hong Kong, hypoglycaemia, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, patient education

Received March 14, 1997;
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