Iranian Journal of

Background: Children with Type 1 diabetes were present one of the greatest challenges in the worldwide. Health-care providers must be sufficiently aware of diabetes so that such children make utmost benefit of their educational opportunities. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of three educational methods in raising the level of knowledge of school health-care providers. Therefore the best method would be applied for this purpose.

Methods: In this interventional study 132 samples were randomly chosen from the list of school health care providers of Tehran and divided to the three groups (educated by posters, booklets, and group education). A questionnaire was completed for all the three groups before and after the education. Questionnaire consisted of two parts: -demographic information and 16 questions about diabetes information. Scores were analyzed by descriptive and inferential methods (T-test, ANOVA).

Results: The level of knowledge of school health-care providers was weak in   23.5% of the case, average in   59.8% of cases, and good in 16.7% of cases. The level of knowledge in the groups educated by booklets and group education increased meaningfully, while no obvious increase was observed in the group trained via posters.

Conclusion: From the three aforementioned training methods, group education and education by booklets have the most effect on raising the level of knowledge of health-care providers.