Research in therapeutic patient education: current challenges

Therapeutic patient education started being recognized in the early 1970s, after the demonstration of the monetary savings associated with the reduction in hospitalizations due to the acute complications of diabetes. Since then it has steadily increased in number, for many chronic diseases, progressively focusing on relevant targets such as quality of life and healthy behaviours. The quality of published papers has progressively improved, with a steady increase of RCTs, but quantitative research has been and still is largely prevalent, with qualitative and mixed-methods research still representing only 3% and 0.8% respectively of total TPE research, despite the recognition that “RCTs in this area of research are not always feasible or even desirable”. Within the framework of narrative medicine, we have integrated the autobiographical approach in our TPE activity and have shown by qualitative methods that it can be appreciated and effective with adolescents with type-1 diabetes, allowing to propose it as a proper way to patient centred care for other chronic diseases

Personality variables and compliance with insulin therapy in Type 2 diabetic subjects

Forty-five diabetic patients were studied to evaluate adaptation and coping strategies. The authors have also analysed personality traits mainly to study different behaviour in compliance conduct. The results revealed an important psychological dimension made up of difficulties in accepting insulin immediately, in fear of addiction and doubts about the therapy. On the basis of these results the sample was then divided into two subgroups, which were then tested and compared with the Adjective Cheek List, The subgroup that showed more fear, insecurity and initial resistance towards insulin therapy appeared to be more rigid and seemingly conforming. These people also revealed personality aspects compatible with the presence of passive-aggressive and avoidant traits. Diab. Nutr, Metab. 13: 1-6, 2000. (C) 2000, Editrice Kurtis

Raccomandazioni sull'uso dell'autocontrollo domiciliare della glicemia

Printed from http://www.siditalia.it target=NewWindow>www.siditalia.it (May 2004)Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Biblioteca Centrale - P.le Aldo Moro, 7 , Rome / CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle RichercheSIGLEITItal