A study of the level of knowledge about diabetes management of low-income persons with diabetes.

Diabetes education has proven to be an effective intervention for the management of diabetes. Persons with lower education levels, the majority of whom have low incomes, receive less diabetes self-management education (DSME) than their peers. This study compared the diabetes knowledge level of low-income adults who did not have a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma with those who did. We conducted a survey among residents of 4 low-income neighborhoods in Cincinnati, Ohio, using a cross-sectional descriptive design. Surveys included information related to diabetes self-management and level of education. The only questions for which there was a significant difference between the 2 groups were those pertaining to the causes and treatment of hypoglycemia. Survey results were used to validate the need for a DSME program for low-income adults in Cincinnati, Ohio. A DSME program was developed specifically for persons with low literacy.