Satisfactory counseling anti compliance among diabetics in Zagazig University Hospital

ABSTRACT

Diabetes is a chronic disease of life long duration and its management requires a fundamental change in the patient's life style. The success of long term maintenance therapy for diabetes depends largely upon the patient's compliance with a therapeutic plan. This study was carried out to identify factors associated with satisfactory counseling and compliance among diabetic patients. A sample of "330" diabetics were identified during their current visits to diabetes outpatients clinic in Zagazig University Hospital. Relevant data were collected via a predesigned questionnaire including some demographic, disease characteristics. Also, patients were inquired about the counseling services offered as regard their acquired knowledge, the counseler's cognitive and facilitative communication skills with patients and his or her affective skills toward them. Lastly, patients were inquired about their compliance to diet, drug and the required care. Degree of diabetic care was assessed by blood glucose measurement, body weight, presence of infection and testing for peripheral sensation. This study revealed that the studied diabetics with good compliance and overall satisfaction represent [29.7%] and [31.5%] respectively. There was an important role for patients' demographic and disease characteristics in moderation of there compliance and satisfaction, where those who tended to comply better were older in age [>/= 45 years], literate and employed. The same tendency was noticed among those with type I diabetes, with positive family history, with good disease control and good quality of care. Counseler's cognitive and facilitative skills were found to be significant moderators among the counseling components for patients' compliance and satisfaction. Diabetic patients with good score of compliance and overall satisfaction towards the offered counseling services represent relatively low percentages that seemed to be unsatisfactory. So, we recommended training of health care providers dealing with diabetics to develop their patients' counseling plans besides their clinical care. Also, health education of diabetics to improve their knowledge, behaviour and promote their compliance