A comparative analysis of the scope of practice of diabetic educators in Georgia and New York City

Abstract

The purpose of this ·study was to identify md describe scope of practice trends of diabetic educators in the state of Georgia. This study was a replication of a research investigation originally done on diabetic educators in the metropolitan area ofN ew York City in 1991. The sample for this study was composed of members of the American Association of Diabetic Educators in Georgia who responded to the Diabetes Educator Responsibilities Questionnaire (DERQ). A total of 97 people returned the completed questionnaire, yielding a response rate of 45.3%. Descriptive statistics were· used to characterize the demographics and practice patterns of the sample. Results indicated that six of the nine educator roles included in the DERQ survey were carried out by more than 50% of the Georgia respondents. A comparative analysis of teaching roles of diabetic educators in Georgia in 1996 and in the original New York City 1991 study was also made. A positive finding was that over 70% of both groups of diabetic educators taught general diabetes information. A question asked of diabetic educators in the study involved the use of behavior modification strategies in patient teaching endeavors. Results indicated that less than 50% of the Georgia sample always/frequently used behavior modification strategies in educating the patient with diabetes. Based on the results of the study, recommendations for future research were made.