Knowledge about Hypoglycemia in Young Women with Type I Diabetes and Their Supportive Others

Abstract

Hypoglycemia is a common stressful occurrence for people with type I diabetes, is disruptive to daily activities, and is a source of embarrassment, fear, and anxiety. Adequate knowledge about hypoglycemia is needed to recognize, treat, and prevent this condition. Families and friends also need adequate knowledge about hypoglycemia to provide helpful support. In this study, the Hypoglycemia Knowledge Questionnaire was used to measure knowledge about hypoglycemia in a convenience sample of 94 young women with type I diabetes and 94 supportive others. Knowledge about hypoglycemia was significantly higher for the young women with diabetes than for their supportive others, although knowledge deficits were evident for the young women on selected questionnaire items. Because normalization of blood glucose is associated with an increased risk of hypoglycemia, comprehensive evaluation of knowledge about hypoglycemia is critical to self-care. Additional studies are needed to validate the reliability and evaluate the usefulness of the Hypoglycemia Knowledge Questionnaire in clinical and research applications.

Hypoglycemia is a relatively common experience for people with type I diabetes, occurring in response to seemingly minor alterations in the usual routine of diet, exercise, and insulin. Even before the results of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial¹ were known, young women with diabetes were considered candidates for tight control in anticipation of conception. All people with type I diabetes receiving intensive insulin therapy to normalize blood glucose face a significantly increased risk of hypoglycemia. Knowledge about hypoglycemia and its management are essential to minimize the adverse effects of insulin therapy and increase success with achieving target blood glucose levels. Prompt recognition and treatment of hypoglycemia by persons with type I diabetes and their supportive others depends on knowledge about hypoglycemia and is essential to reversing this condition.

Knowledge deficits among adults with diabetes as well as among children with diabetes and their parents have been well documented in the literature.^2–13 Thorough examination reveals that only a small number of items on knowledge tests assessed hypoglycemia knowledge per se. These items did not allow for adequate evaluation of the full breadth and depth of content recommended for hypoglycemia education for people with type I diabetes and their supportive others.^14,15

Because of the comprehensive nature of recommendations for hypoglycemia education and the lack of adequate evaluation in this content area, a thorough examination of the hypoglycemia knowledge of young women with type I diabetes and their supportive others was undertaken as part of a larger correlational study on social support and hypoglycemia. The findings reported here are related to two study questions: 1) What is the level of hypoglycemia knowledge among young women with type I diabetes and their supportive others? and 2) What is the relationship between hypoglycemia knowledge of young women with diabetes and that of their supportive others?