Abstract
This pilot randomized prospective controlled pilot study looked at computer based health information resources and their impact on control of diabetes. The study site was a large urban community health center with many Spanish-speaking patients. Both the intervention (n=58) and control (n=50) groups of the study received standard of care diabetes treatment. The intervention group received additional computer based diabetes education in either English or Spanish from the MedlinePlus.gov website. Clinical measures and survey results were followed in both groups. In patients with diabetes, the Hemoglobin A1c is a lab test that measures the level of blood sugar control over the past three months; a higher level is associated with increased diabetes-related complications. LDL cholesterol is the type of cholesterol that is most relevant as a clinical indicator in diabetes. The intervention group had a small decline in Hemoglobin A1c (−0.3%), and LDL cholesterol (−9.9 mg/dl), two important clinical indicators, while the control group had a small increase in both Hemoglobin A1c (+0.1%) and LDL cholesterol (+0.5 mg/dl). The discussion also explores the benefits and challenges of introducing computer-based patient education resources into a low-literacy population.