Current practice of diabetes education in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in Germany and Austria: analysis based on the German/Austrian DPV database

Background Diabetes education of patients and/or parents is an essential part of diabetes care with effects on diabetes outcome. The objective of our study was to describe the current practice of diabetes education in Germany and Austria with regard to training frequency, patient age, migration background and diabetes therapy in a large cohort of pediatric patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 (T1DM). Methods We analyzed data from pediatric T1DM patients with diabetes training in 2013 and complete data available for treatment year in the multicenter Diabetes Patienten Verlaufsdokumentation (DPV) registry using sas 9.4. Results In 2013 21 871 pediatric patients with T1DM were documented [52.4% male, age: 12.70 (9.35–15.30) yr (median (interquartile range)], diabetes duration: 3.80 (1.45–7.00) yr, migration background: 21.4%, twice daily injections: 5.5%, multiple daily injections: 52.5%, insulin-pump therapy: 42%. Of these 32.31% were trained in 2013. Younger patients and their parents were trained more intensely and more frequently as inpatients compared with older patients (0–6 vs. 6–12 and 12–18 yr: teaching units: 13.07 vs. 12.05 and 9.79; inpatient: 79% vs. 72% and 70%). There was also a difference in training frequency with regard to migration background. Severe hypoglycemia or ketoacidosis resulted in intensification of training (4.0 vs. 2.0%; 7.8 vs. 3.1%). Centre-specific education tools were used frequently alone or in combination with published, standardized education programs. Conclusion Training frequency was highest in younger patients and during the first year of diabetes. Acute complications resulted in more frequent diabetes training, indicating that currently many education sessions take place in consequence to these complications.