ABSTRACT
The purpose of this guide is to provide diabetes educators with a comprehensive list of assistive tools, services, and information for diabetes self-management for people with visual, manual, and hearing disabilities. A list of tools and products has been compiled by members of the Disabilities Specialty Practice Group (DSPG) and is updated periodically. The original list was assembled in 1988 with the support of a grant from the Diabetes Research and Education Foundation, Bridgewater, New Jersey. The last revised list was titled "Diabetes Aids and Products for People With Visual or Physical Impairment" and was published in Diabetes Educ. 1992;18:121-138. In addition to tools and products, organizations that provide services and information for people with disabilities are provided to diabetes educators.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Complications/physiopathology , Diabetes Complications/rehabilitation , Disabled Persons/rehabilitation , Blindness , Blood Glucose/analysis , Humans , Injections/methods , Insulin/administration & dosage , Language , Medicine , Patient Education as Topic , Self-Help Devices , Specialization , SpeechABSTRACT
Many persons with diabetes are labeled noncompliant, experience repeated hospital admissions, and have multiple complications due to poor disease control. These problems may result from unrecognized low health literacy. When communication and patient education materials are appropriate to literacy needs and preferences, people can succeed in managing their disease. This article describes low health literacy; consequences, and implications, and offers suggestions for improving health education efforts and materials for patients with diabetes.