Use of Recommended Communication Techniques by Diabetes Educators

Background: Diabetes educators are challenged to teach diabetes self-management to patients, ensuring comprehension. Effectiveness with patients may be dependent on the communication skills of the diabetes educator.

Objective: This study sought to determine diabetes educators' use of and perceived effectiveness of recommended communication techniques with patients to teach diabetes self-management and to determine differences in communication by educator characteristics.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 522 diabetes educators, comprised mostly of nurses, dieticians, and pharmacists, completed the American Medical Association (AMA) Communication Techniques Survey at a national conference. The AMA survey assessed diabetes educators' self-reported use of and perceived effectiveness of 14 communication techniques. Internal consistency for items reporting frequency of communication techniques was α = 0.83 and for items reporting perceived effectiveness was α = 0.87.

Key Results: Simple language, written patient education materials, and using Teach-Back were the most frequently reported techniques. Follow-up phone calls and drawing pictures were the least reported. Educators of Hispanic ethnicity used significantly more communication techniques than Caucasian respondents ( < .05). Educators with more than 16 years in practice and those who provided more than 16 hours of diabetes education per week used significantly more techniques than those with less experience ( < .01). Nurses used significantly more techniques than dieticians ( < .01) and those who had health literacy or communication as part of their schooling used more techniques than those who did not ( < .05). No significant difference on the routine use of communication techniques was found by education level or diabetes educator certification status.

Conclusions: The findings provide a baseline assessment of diabetes educator communication practice. Inclusion of health literacy and communication in health professional school curricula appears to support competency, suggesting opportunities for inter-professional health literacy and communication education and research. .

Plain Language Summary: We did a survey asking diabetes educators how they communicate with their patients with diabetes. They mostly used simple language, gave out pamphlets, and used Teach-Back. They did not draw pictures to help explain things. Diabetes educators who were Hispanic, nurses, and had health literacy training in school used more communication techniques. Health literacy and communication should be included in training of health providers.