Diabetes: Health Literacy Education Improves Veteran Outcomes
This pilot study adds to the literature of the positive impact of individualized, structured, tailored nursing interventions delivered with careful consideration of the participants’ personal goals and health care needs for diabetes self-management.
Ms. Wimer is an assistant nurse manager at the VA Staunton Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Virginia and adjunct faculty in the RN to BSN program at Eastern Mennonite University. Dr. Shipman is a nurse educator for the Office of Employee Education and a music student at the Performing Arts Institute of Virginia in Blacksburg. Ms. Lea is a physician assistant. All authors work for the Salem VAMC in Virginia.
Author disclosures The authors report no actual or potential conflicts of interest with regard to this article.
Disclaimer The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Federal Practitioner, Frontline Medical Communications Inc., the U.S. Government, or any of its agencies.
Conclusion
Although this is a small descriptive pilot study, it adds to the body of research on the value of nurse-driven interventions to help veterans manage diabetes by enhancing their health literacy. It also raises questions and opportunities for further research into the power of familial-social influences on a veteran’s willingness to manage their diabetes. The majority of veterans who declined to participate in this study, even though they qualified, stated that they would “not follow any recommendations.” Further investigation is needed about why some veterans elect not to obtain help that could positively impact their health and possibly extend their life. Additionally, scientific quantitative and qualitative research is needed to evaluate the statistical significance between health care literacy and educational intervention on patient adherence among individuals diagnosed with diabetes.
