A Cross-Sectional Assessment of Diabetes Self-Management, Education and Support Needs of Syrian Refugee Patients Living with Diabetes in Bekaa Valley Lebanon

Background: Patients with diabetes require knowledge and skills to self-manage their disease, a challenging aspect of treatment that is difficult to address in humanitarian settings. Due to the lack of literature and experience regarding diabetes self-management, education and support (DSMES) in refugee populations, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) undertook a DSMES survey in a cohort of diabetes patients seen in their primary health care program in Lebanon.

Methods: Structured interviews were conducted with diabetes patients in three primary care clinics between January and February 2015. Scores (0–10) were calculated to measure diabetes core knowledge in each patient (the DSMES score). Awareness of long-term complications and educational preferences were also assessed. Analyses were conducted using Stata software, version 14.1 (StataCorp). Simple and multiple linear regression models were used to determine associations between various patient factors and the DSMES Score.