Diabetes-related goals, practices, and beliefs of practicing pediatricians

Practicing pediatricians were surveyed to assess their need for diabetes education programs. Pediatricians generally have fewer than five diabetic patients, frequently see them less than once every four months, prescribe single daily insulin injections, and do not include dietetic services in their treatment program. Among the pediatricians surveyed, practices correlated weakly with therapeutic goals for metabolic control, and goals correlated weakly with belief that hyperglycemia causes microvascular complications of diabetes. Belief in the importance of hyperglycemia did not correlate with actual care practices reported. The data support the idea that presentation of the latest advances in scientific rationale is an inadequate basis for physicians' continuing education.