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12.3. Contents and methods of an educational program
The contents of educational programs must be adapted to the needs of each patient.
Table 12 includes the components which a self-control program should include:
Table 12. Contents of a self-control educational program for diabetic patients (modified by
GEDAPS) (6)
• Information on the disease (what is diabetes, types of diabetes, risk factors)
• Diet
• Physical exercise
• Severe and chronic complications of diabetes
• Tobacco
• Diabetic foot
• Oral drugs*: compliance with the treatment, dealing with adverse effects. Hypoglycaemia
• Insulin*: schedules, techniques, dose adjustment. Hypoglycaemia
• Self-monitoring of blood glucose (selected patients)
• Special situations: journeys, incurrent diseases, etc.
* Depending on the treatment followed by the patient.
Communication is the basis of the educational process and for this reason, the following points
are to be considered (6):
• It is two-way communication, both verbal and non-verbal.
• The first step has to be the assessment of the knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and capacities
of the patient.
• The educational content must be adapted to the learning capacity of the patient, without
presenting more than three different concepts per session.
• The language used must be clear and adapted to the patient.
• The session must be complemented with supporting educational material.
• The content must be progressive depending on the needs of the patient, giving priority to
the most relevant aspects which are to be modified.
116 CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES IN THE NHS