Primary school physical education teacher's knowledge of hypoglycaemia and perceived diabetes support provided by the school.

Abstract

Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by a lack of insulin production (World Health Organization [WHO], 2011b). There are various acute complications related to type 1 diabetes, amongst which is hypoglycaemia. If not treated immediately hypoglycaemia can be a source of morbidity and mortality in children with type 1 diabetes (Felter &Waldrop, 2010). Aim: This research study aimed at exploring primary school physical education teachers' knowledge of the identification, prevention and management of hypoglycaemia and perceived diabetes support provided by the school. More specifically, the research objectives were to explore primary physical education teachers' knowledge about the symptoms and management of a hypoglycaemic episode, explore primary physical education teachers' knowledge regarding the precautions which should be taken by children with type 1 diabetes prior to exercise to prevent hypoglycaemia, explore primary physical education teachers' perceived adequacy of education/training in relation to diabetes and explore primary physical education teachers' perceived support offered to pupils with diabetes by the school. Methods: A descriptive survey design was used. A pre-existing questimmaire entitled "Physical and health education on type 1 diabetes' (Tahirovic, 2007) was administered to the total population of physical education teachers working in primary church and state schools in Malta (N= 43). The response rate achieved was of 77% (n=33). The frequency and percentage of responses was estimated and the results were presented in tables and graphs. Content analysis was used to analyze the responses from an open-ended question. Results: The findings revealed that most of the teachers stated they knew what hypoglycaemia was but many incorrectly identified the symptoms. The majority were not trained to deal with the needs of students suffering from diabetes. However, all the participants expressed an interest in learning about diabetes. The majority of respondents were aware that it is crucial for a child with type 1 diabetes to take precautions preceding physical exercise to decrease the chance of hypoglycaemia. The majority of teachers had a positive attitude in supporting children with type 1 diabetes while at school. Lack of diabetes education, lack of parental involvement, bullying and shyness were the core problems identified by the participants to allow schools to provide the necessary support to pupils with diabetes. Conclusions: Further research on this subject, including Maltese studies, is crucial to evaluate the views of children and parents as well as those of school administration since this study focused solely on PE teachers. A fundamental recommendation for practice is organization of seminars on diabetes to update teachers with the latest knowledge and skills to allow them to support pupils with diabetes during school hours. Clear guidelines on the management of hypoglycaemia should be accessible in each school, so that these can be used as guidelines in the event of a hypoglycaemic episode.