Effects of routine education on people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes

Background: In Ireland, there is limited knowledge about the perceptions or behaviours of people newly diagnosed with diabetes and, due to the lack of a national register, poor knowledge of their demographic profile.Aim: To add to the body of knowledge about diabetes, to obtain perceptions of people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who attend group diabetes education, and to examine their relationships with the adoption of diabetes self-management behaviours.Method: A correlational study was conducted among people attending routine group diabetes education at three diabetes clinics during 2006/7, from which a convenience sample of 168 (38%) participants were recruited.Results: Men newly diagnosed with diabetes were younger, waited less time to attend group diabetes education, had a more positive diabetes attitude and perceived themselves to have more social support than women. Women had better diabetes self-management dietary and medication adherence behaviours prior to attending group diabetes education than the men.Conclusion: People newly diagnosed with diabetes differ in their attitude, perceived support and self-efficacy to adopt dietary and exercise behaviours and have different behaviour change needs at diagnosis. Post-attendance at diabetes education, they adopt behaviours at variable rates and may not sustain the change. The study findings indicate that healthcare professionals should monitor continually the need for behavioural change, in particular physical exercise behaviours in women and dietary and medication adherence in men. They should also continuously assess the maintenance of diabetes self-management behaviours of all people with diabetes, while promoting confidence in achieving desired outcomes.