ORLANDO, Fla., June 26 /PRNewswire/ — An estimated 75
percent of adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes say they believe
they know what their blood sugar levels are without testing,
according to data presented at the American Diabetes Association
(ADA) 70th Scientific Sessions. These results are important to
consider because self-monitoring with a blood glucose meter is
essential for people with diabetes to obtain accurate blood sugar
results that guide adjustments to meal planning, exercising and,
most importantly for insulin users, accurately dosing their
insulin. It is one of a number of key learnings from a study
representing the first-ever use of the well-established
information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model of health
behavior practice to understand barriers to self-monitoring of
blood glucose (SMBG) among type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients.
Bayer Diabetes Care undertook the study to identify basic social
and psychological factors that may be related to SMBG utilization
in individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and to better
understand the reasons why some people have difficulty adhering to
SMBG as recommended by their health care providers. Another
objective of the study was to determine whether the IMB model,
which has been applied effectively in several health behavior
domains, may be effective in helping to understand and promote
adherence to SMBG. The study was conducted by a co-developer of the
IMB model, Dr. William Fisher,
distinguished university professor in the Department of Psychology
and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada.
The study findings revealed substantial information gaps,
motivational obstacles and behavioral skills limi
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