Evaluation of a Diabetes Education Program's Non-Attendees: The Program Response

Diabetes self-management educational programs have been shown to improve patient outcomes. However, attendance at clinics is often poor. Prairie Health Matters (PHM) staff noticed that 31% of people referred to the program never came. Missed appointments contribute to increased program delivery costs and longer wait lists for services. A cross-sectional descriptive approach was taken to evaluate the demographic and other characteristics of attendees and non-attendees and their reasons for non-attendance at the PHM diabetes/heart health educational programs. A random list of PHM program clients was used to conduct a telephone survey to determine the reasons for not attending the PHM program. The survey found that attendees were more likely to be older, come from lower income brackets and be retired. Non-attendees were more likely to be working full-time than attendees. The proposed response of the PHM staff to these findings included changing appointment times and how they interacted with clients, including developing a website and using more e-mail communications. The proposed changes are congruent with current literature demonstrating effective strategies for improving client attendance.