The impact of the level of education and paid work on HbA1c concentrationsin patients with type 1 diabetes – preliminary findings
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12923/Keywords:
type 1 diabetes, education level, employment, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C)Abstract
Patients’ level of education and performance of paid work can have an impact on the level of type 1 diabetes metabolic control. The aim was to establish, based on own research, the impact of education and paid work on the level of metabolic control in patients with type 1 diabetes as indicated by HbA1c levels. 44 patients (26F; 18M) aged 20–59 (mean 37.4±12.2) years. The duration of diabetes was 0.5−29 (mean 13.7±9.2) years. Only 4 patients (2F; 2M) had primary education, 26 (i.e. 59%; 16F and 10M) had secondary education and 14 (i.e. 32%; 8F and 6M) had higher education. 15 (34%) patients performed paid work, including 9 (64%) subjects with higher and 6 (23%) with secondary education. The data on the level of education and employment were obtained in a survey designed by the authors of this study. In each case the patient’s age and the duration of the disease were considered. The subjects were classified according to their level of education into groups 1 (higher education) and 2 (secondary education) and according to their employment into groups 3 (employed) and 4 (unemployed). The mean HbA1C for the entire group was 7.7±1.9% (M − 7.02±1.9%; F − 8.2±1.8). No significant difference was found between the groups of patients with higher and secondary education with respect to age, the diabetes duration and BMI. Mean HbA1C in groups 1 and 2 were: 7.3±2% and 7.8±1.9% (NS) respectively. The group of employed patients was characterized by a lower mean age, diabetes duration and BMI. Mean HbA1C levels in groups 3 and 4 were: 7.8±2.2% and 7.5±1.8% (NS) respectively. The lowest and highest mean HbA1c levels were found in subgroups of patients with higher education: they were 5.7±1.3% in unemployed persons and 8.2±1.9% in employed persons (p<0.05). Within the group of patients with secondary education the mean HbA1c levels were 7.9±1.6% in unemployed persons and 7.3±2.6% in those employed (NS). In patients with type 1 diabetes higher education was linked with better metabolic control which became considerably worse due to the performance of paid work.
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