Diabetes to Go: Knowledge- and Competency-Based Hospital Survival Skills Diabetes Education Program Improves Postdischarge Medication Adherence

PurposeThe primary purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of providing inpatient knowledge-based diabetes “survival skills” education. In addition, the preliminary impact of the survival skills education intervention on medication adherence and hospital plus emergency department admissions was assessed.MethodsThis study was a prospective nonrandomized pilot study conducted in an urban teaching hospital. In sum 125 adults consented—the majority of whom were African American women—with uncontrolled diabetes: blood glucose > 200 mg/dL or < 40 mg/dL upon admission to general medicine units. Mean admitting blood glucose was 283 ± 128 mg/dL. Evaluation measures were diabetes knowledge, medication adherence, and hospital admissions plus emergency department visits at and/or 3 months before baseline and at 2 weeks and 3 months postdischarge.ResultsThere was improvement in diabetes knowledge and medication adherence, which was sustained to 3 months. A trend was observed toward reduction in emerge...