Role of patient awareness and education in managing type 1 diabetes and improving clinical outcomes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leading to little or no insulin production. According to the World Health Organization, there were 9 million people diagnosed with this condition in 2017, the majority of whom belonged to high-income countries. 

In such a scenario, Dr Mohammed Yahia Alharbi, Consultant Paediatric Endocrinologist and Clinical Assistant Professor, Dar Al Uloom University, highlights the importance of early symptom identification and diagnosis in effectively managing this chronic condition. He remarked that most people prioritise medication, diet and exercise when it comes to diabetes management, and tend to overlook the critical role of disease awareness and education. 

The American Diabetes Association emphasises the role of patient education through their guidelines, protocols and training. The organisation annually publishes the ‘Standards of Care in Diabetes’, which gives guidance to both healthcare professionals and individuals on diabetes management, based on new evidence and research.

Such guidelines are especially important as diabetes patients generally visit their physician every three to four months, and during the intermittent periods, they are mostly dealing with the disease all by themselves, without medical support. A patient who is not well-informed about the disease might struggle to manage symptoms during this period, leading to complications. 

In total, there are 13 types of diabetes, which include type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes, all of which happen due to increased blood glucose levels that overwhelm the kidneys’ filtration process. Generally, kidneys can efficiently filter up to 180 – 200 mg of glucose each day, but once this threshold is crossed, the patient will experience symptoms like frequent urination or polyuria, increased thirst and fatigue, among others.

Dr Alharbi also notes that presently, the only treatment for this disease is insulin therapy, which is of two types- long-acting insulin and short-acting insulin, which is taken with food. Insulin can be administered through pen devices or pumps. There are also AI insulin pumps available in the market now, which can measure blood glucose levels and administer insulin, accordingly, acting as artificial pancreas. 

After medication, the second pillar of diabetes management is diet, which, especially in the case of children, shouldn’t be very restrictive; rather, it should focus on feeding them the right amount of food at the right time of the day. The third pillar is exercise or leading an active lifestyle, which is extremely important for diabetes control. The fourth and final pillar is patient education, with a special focus on parents of children with diabetes. Educating children’s families and raising awareness about proper management practices can help ensure that they lead a normal and healthy childhood, while nurturing healthy diet and lifestyle habits that will support them well into adulthood.