Compean-Ortiz and colleagues sought to determine the effect of memory learning on self-care activities in adults with type 2 diabetes moderated by previous education/understanding in diabetes. They also wished to explore the explicative capacity of age, gender, schooling, diabetes duration, and glycemic control in memory learning. A descriptive correlation study was conducted in a randomized sample of 105 Mexican adult patients with type 2 diabetes at a community-based outpatient clinic. Evaluation measures included: (a) the Wechsler Memory Scale for memory learning; (b) two questionnaires for self-care activities and previous education/understanding in diabetes, respectively; and (c) glycosylated hemoglobin for glycemic control. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the effect of memory learning on self-care activities and the moderator capacity of previous education/understanding on diabetes. Multivariate analysis was used to identify the capacity of age, schooling, diabetes duration, and glycemic control in memory-learning types. A significant positive effect of memory learning on self-care activities was found. Education/understanding in diabetes moderated the relationship between immediate and delayed memory learning and self-care in glucose monitoring and diet. Gender, schooling, and the gender-glycemic control interaction explained memory-learning performance.

WHAT THE STUDY MAY MEAN TO YOU AS A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER: The authors concluded that immediate and delayed verbal and visual memory-learning were important for the patient to carry out self-care activities, and this relationship can be moderated by previous education/understanding in diabetes. The findings suggest potential benefits in emphasizing cognitive strategies to promote relearning of self-care behaviors in persons who live with diabetes.

WHAT THE STUDY MAY MEAN TO YOU AS A PATIENT: Cognitive variables are important in self-management. Patients must not only remember how to perform the skills they have been taught, but data gathering and decision-making are based upon the ability of patients to make the correct decisions before taking appropriate actions.

LG Compean-Ortiz et al. Cognitive Performance Associated With Self-care Activities in Mexican Adults With Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Education, February 23, 2010.