Small Steps to Help You Manage Your Diabetes – DVD

This week Eric Paris, PharmD Candidate from University of Florida has a great review of this weeks tool Small Steps to Help You Manage Your Diabetes” DVD series.

Small Steps to Help You Manage Your Diabetes – DVD
Review by Eric Paris, PharmD Candidate University of Florida

This is a 4-part patient education series hosted by Joan Lunden.  Each part of the series uses actors who portray diabetic patients.  Each patient has problems managing their disease, and notable experts (dieticians, fitness trainers, and physicians) are brought in to help.

The first part of the DVD is titled “Living with Diabetes Today”.   The episode starts by the hosts giving basic information about the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.  We then are introduced to a patient who is having trouble with the exercise and diet portion of managing her diabetes.  At first, Joan Lunden discusses with the patient and her family basic information about type 2 diabetes (pathophysiology, monitoring, and blood glucose goals).  She presents the information in a patient-friendly style without using any medical jargon.  Next, the patient meets with Juan-Carlos Cruz (celebrity chef).  He discusses simple strategies on how to eat as a diabetic (mainly focusing on portion sizes and eating consistent meals); he then helps the patient cook a healthy meal.  After that, the patient meets with Bob Green (fitness expert).  He discusses how to start incorporating physical activity into the patient’s lifestyle.  At the end of the day, the patient expresses satisfaction knowing that minor changes will help her to improve her disease management a great deal.  In the final segment, the experts return after 2 months to discover that the patients and her family have taken the advise to heart and are making great progress.

The second episode of the DVD is titled “Partnering with Your Healthcare Professional”.  The patient in this episode is having trouble communicating with his physician about his Type 2 diabetes.  Dr. Judith Reichman is recruited by Joan Lunden to help this patient and his spouse.  The patient starts by stating that he is frustrated by the fact that at many of his doctor visits he is unable to understand what his physician is trying to convey to him.  Dr. Reichman advises him to write down questions in a notebook to ask his physician before each visit.  She also states to record any medication or dietary changes.  Dr. Reichman advises the patient to educate himself as much as he can to help facilitate a better partnership with his physician.  She also discusses many of the diagnostic tests and monitoring that patients with diabetes must receive.  Overall, a strong emphasis is placed on the patient taking control of managing his own disease.  At the end, the patient is visited again after several months.  He states that the advise worked very well and he now is very satisfied with the relationship between himself and his physician.

 The third part of the DVD is titled “Food for Thought”.  The patient in this episode is a guest on a talk show focused on diabetes.  Felicia Stoller (fitness and dietics expert) and Juan-Carlos Cruz come to the set to help the patient learn about the relationship between food and diabetes.  Felicia Stoller starts by talking about making small changes in eating in order to accomplish large results.  She and Juan-Carlos Cruz then discuss carbohydrates, blood sugar goals, food groups, portion sizes, and how to cook healthier meals.  They then demonstrate a recipe for cooking healthy cookies.  At the end of the program, audience members ask a variety of questions to the experts on how to make healthier eating choices.  During this segment, emphasis is placed on limiting portion sizes and reading food labels.

The finale episode of the DVD is titled “The Ins of Insulin”.  The patient in this episode is having a worsening of his blood glucose levels despite adequate adherence to an exercise, diet, and oral medication regimen.  His physician, Dr. Richard Aguilar, tells him that because of this he must start insulin today.  The patient verbalizes to his doctor that he is afraid to start insulin, and discusses many of the common fears patients have concerning insulin.  In order to help alleviate the patient’s concerns, the doctor sends a diabetes educator (Debbie Hinnen) to discuss insulin therapy.  The educator explains that most Type 2 patients will eventually require insulin, and that it is not a sign of failure.  She discusses the complications that can occur from hyperglycemia, and the reason why the patient’s oral medications have lost their effectiveness.  Basal and bolus insulins are briefly mentioned, and Humalog and Humalog Mix 75/25 are the insulins that are promoted by the educator.  Finally, the convenience of using an insulin pen is discussed.  In the end, the patient returns to his physician after 3 months.  He is satisfied with using the insulin pen given that his blood glucose has improved, and it is much more convenient than he had expected.

In summary, the DVD series “Small Steps to Help You Manage Your Diabetes” is a good tool to help diabetic patients.  The information is presented in a manner that seems like it would be able to keep a patient’s attention more than any type of written material.  Medical jargon is largely avoided and the cast seems very knowledgeable about the topics that they present.  Diet, nutrition, and self-monitoring are covered very well throughout the series.  However, little to no information is presented about medications used to treat diabetes.

Eric Paris
PharmD candidate