Improved Glycemic Control among Thai Children and Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes Participating in the Diabetes Camp
Jeerunda Santiprabhob MD *, Supawadee Likitmaskul MD *, Apiradee Sriwijitkamol MD *, Thavatchai Peerapatdit MD *, Pairunyar Sawathiparnich MD *, Wannee Nitiyanant MD *, Kitti Angsusingha MD *, Chanika Tuchinda MD *, Sunthorn Tandhanand MD *
Affiliation : * Diabetes Education Program, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Diabetes Education Program, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital has provided summer camps for
Thai children with type 1 diabetes since 1990. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness
of the diabetes camp in glycemic control.
Twenty male and forty-two female patients participated in the 5-day diabetes camp held in
Karnchanaburi, Thailand in 2003. The mean age was 14.1 ± 4.3 years and the mean duration of disease was
4.5 ± 3.5 years. Fifty out of sixty-two patients returned for a 3-month-postcamp visit. The glycemic control
improved significantly. The mean precamp and postcamp HbA1c levels were 10.0 ± 3.1% and 9.0 ± 2.6% (p =
0.008) respectively. The diabetes camp is a valuable program for patients to learn diabetes-self management
skills, especially in countries where the diabetes education programs are not always available.
Keywords : Type 1 diabetes, Diabetes camp, Glycemic control, Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG)
