J Korean Diabetes Assoc.  2006 Nov;30(6):476-486.

Development of Two Parallel Diabetes Knowledge Tests

• Shim WS
• Hong SB
• Choi YS
• Choi YJ
• Ahn SH
• Min KY
• Kim EJ
• Park IB
• Nam M
• Kim YS

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Knowledge evaluation about diabetes mellitus is necessary to self-manage diabetes effectively. We developed two parallel diabetes knowledge tests to meet a need for reliable knowledge assessment in diabetic patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The 75-items (59 items for general knowledge test, 16 items for insulin use subscale) were administered to 102 diabetic patients who visited Inha University Hospital. The items which had the appropriate difficulty (0.25~0.80) and good discrimination index (above 0.25) were selected. However, the items which are thought to be an important item for education were also selected even though they did not meet the criteria of reliability and discrimination index. Two parallel diabetes knowledge tests were developed after matching the selected appropriate items for similar contents.
RESULTS
102 patients fulfilled the tests and their mean age was 54.1 +/- 11.5 years. Mean percentage of correct questionnaires was 60.9 +/- 12.5% for general test and 45.9 +/- 19.5% for insulin use subscale. There were significant differences of scores between patients with high and low education level, between patients with high income per household and low income level per household, between patients with the history of diabetes education and without history of diabetes education, and between the old (> or = 50 yrs) and the young (< 50 yrs) age group. However, there was no significant difference of scores according to diabetes duration and complication or not. The selected two tests had a similar score. And their Cronbach alpha was appropriate (> 0.70) in both tests.
CONCLUSIONS
We developed two parallel diabetes knowledge tests. These tests can be used as an important means in evaluating the diabetes knowledge and effect of education in diabetic patients.

Keyword

Diabetes education; Diabetes knowledge test; Type 2 diabetes

MeSH Terms

Diabetes Mellitus
Discrimination (Psychology)
Education
Family Characteristics
Humans
Insulin
Surveys and Questionnaires
Insulin

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Comparison of the percentage of correct answer. A, between patients with high education and low education; B, between the old (≥ 50 years) and the young (< 50 years); C, between duration of diabetes less than 5 years, 5~10 years, and above 10 years; D, between monthly household income per month. < 2 million won and monthly household income per month. ≥ 2 million. *p < 0.001. †p < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 2 Comparison of percentage of correct answer. A, between patients with presence of complication and absence of complication; B, between patients with history of diabetes education and without history of diabetes education; C, between patients with know the SMBG and don't know the SMBG. *p < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 3 Comparison of percentage of correct answer between test 1 and test 2.

Reference

1. Fitzgerald JT, Funnell MM, Hess GE, Barr PA, Anderson RM, Hiss RG, Davis WK. The reliability and validity of a brief diabetes knowledge test. Diabetes Care. 1998. 21:706–710.

2. Colleran KM, Starr B, Burge MR. Putting diabetes to the test: Analyzing glycemic control based on patients' diabetes knowledge. Diabetes Care. 2003. 26:2220–2221.

3. Norris SL, Lau J, Smith SJ, Schmid CH, Engelgau MM. Self-management education for adults with type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of the effect on glycemic control. Diabetes Care. 2002. 25:1159–1171.

4. McCabe M, Morgan F, Smith M, Yazzie E, Spencer A, Curley H, Begay R, Gohdes D. Lessons learned: Challenges in interpreting diabetes concepts in the Navajo language. Diabetes Care. 2003. 26:1913–1914.

5. Garcia AA, Villagomez ET, Brown SA, Kouzekanani K, Hanis CL. The Starr County Diabetes Education Study: development of the Spanish-language diabetes knowledge questionnaire. Diabetes Care. 2001. 24:16–21.