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Relationship between self-monitoring of blood glucose and glycaemic control among patients attending a specialist diabetes clinic in Jamaica

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Abstract

Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is recommended as an integral part of diabetes management. This study aimed to estimate the frequency of SMBG among patients attending a specialist diabetes clinic in Jamaica and to evaluate whether SMBG was associated with better glycaemic control. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 188 patients, randomly selected from the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) Diabetes Clinic. Self-reported data on blood glucose testing was obtained by a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was measured from a capillary blood sample. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between SMBG and glycaemic control. Among 188 participants (145 females, 43 males, mean age 56 ± 15 years), 60 % (95%CI 52–67 %) performed SMBG. Thirty-one percent of participants monitored their blood glucose at least once daily. Participants less than 40 years old, persons with post-secondary education and those taking insulin were more likely to perform SMBG. Multivariable linear regression showed that performing SMBG was associated with a lower HbA1c after adjusting for age, sex and insulin use (β = −0.102), p = 0.004). In multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for the same variables, SMBG was also associated with lower odds of having poor glycemic control [HbA1c >9 %], OR 0.20, p < 0.001. This study shows that SMBG is associated with lower HbA1c and decreased odds of poor glycaemic control.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the study participants, project staff, including nurses (C. Bennett, B. Walker, and R. Walters), administrative staff (N. Campbell), and driver (J. Campbell) for their contribution to the project. This study was supported by a grant from the Caribbean Health Research Council. Additional support for equipment was obtained through a special donation from a UWI medical alumnus, Dr Earl O’Brien.

Author contribution

KK Francis Conducted data analysis and interpreted data; wrote first draft of manuscript; critically revised manuscript

NO Younger-Coleman Participated in study design, data analysis and interpretation; critically revised manuscript

MK Tulloch-Reid Participated in study design, data analysis and interpretation; critically revised manuscript

RA Wright-Pascoe Participated in study design and interpretation of data; critically revised manuscript

MS Boyne Participated in study design and interpretation of data; critically revised manuscript

RJ Wilks Gave oversight to study; participated in data interpretation; critically revised manuscript

TS Ferguson Conceived paper; gave oversight to study; oversaw data collection; conducted data analysis; critically revised manuscript. Guarantor for manuscript

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology Research Unit, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, 7, Jamaica

    KK Francis, NO Younger-Coleman, MK Tulloch-Reid, RJ Wilks & TS Ferguson

  2. Department of Medicine, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica

    RA Wright-Pascoe

  3. Tropical Metabolism Research Unit, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica

    MS Boyne

Authors
  1. KK Francis
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  2. NO Younger-Coleman
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  3. MK Tulloch-Reid
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  4. RA Wright-Pascoe
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  5. MS Boyne
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  6. RJ Wilks
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  7. TS Ferguson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to TS Ferguson.

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Francis, K., Younger-Coleman, N., Tulloch-Reid, M. et al. Relationship between self-monitoring of blood glucose and glycaemic control among patients attending a specialist diabetes clinic in Jamaica. Int J Diabetes Dev Ctries 35, 26–32 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13410-014-0222-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13410-014-0222-y

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