A new study has found that patients benefit from diabetes education about the same whether the education is provided in a group or individual setting. Patients in both settings had comparable improvements in glycemic control, with slightly greater improvement among those in the group setting.

The research was undertaken at the International Diabetes Center, Park Nicollett Institute in Minneapolis, MN. A total of 170 people with type 2 diabetes were assigned to either group or individual settings for education. They had four sequential sessions at consistent time intervals over a six-month period. All of the patients showed similar improvements in knowledge, weight, health-related quality of life and attitudes. Their HbA1c measurements decreased overall from 8.5 +/- 1.8 at baseline to 6.5 +/- 0.8% at 6 months.

The authors concluded that group diabetes education was as effective as individual instruction in delivering key educational components and may allow for more efficient and cost-effective methods in diabetes education.

Related information Glucose control

Source:  Rickheim PL, Weaver TW, Flader JL, et al. Assessment of group versus individual diabetes education. Diabetes Care, February 2002;25(2):269-274. (Abs.)