Barriers to attendance in diabetes education: a systematic review

Background: The use of structured patient education is widely acknowledged as one of the strategies for diabetes management in the UK. Nevertheless, the delivery of education programmes such as DAFNE (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating) and DESMOND (Diabetes Education and Self-Management for On-going and Newly Diagnosed) in the primary care settings is often challenged by the attrition rate. Objective: The aim of this review was to identify barriers associated with attendance in diabetes education centres. Research design and methods: This secondary research uses a systematic literature review approach to examine the empirical evidence relating to non-attendance in diabetes education centres. Results: The findings of this study indicated various barriers ranging from personal problems and beliefs to lack of motivation and communication problems. Conclusions: There is a continuous need for on-going education and support for patients affected by diabetes regardless of the challenges posed by non-attendance