BackgroundA recent study revealed that the participation rate in diabetes education among diabetic patients was only about 50% in Korea. We investigated the factors associated with participation in diabetes education.MethodsThe study included 1,255 patients (≥19 years old) diagnosed with diabetes drawn from the total Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007 to 2009 population comprising 30,705 individuals. We compared age, sex, and age- and sex-adjusted clinical characteristics in patients who had received diabetes education versus those who had not.ResultsOf the 1,255 patients, 19.8% (n=248) had received diabetes education. Patients in the group who received diabetes education were younger, diagnosed at an earlier age, had a longer diabetes duration and were more likely to be using insulin therapy compared with the group who did not receive diabetes education (P<0.001). The group who received diabetes education included fewer manual workers (P<0.001) but more college graduates (P=0.004) compared with the group who did not receive diabetes education. Logistic regression analysis revealed that longer diabetes duration increased the likelihood of receiving diabetes education (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 to 1.06; P=0.004). Junior high school (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.24 to 0.91; P=0.026) and elementary school education levels (OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.65; P=0.001) versus college graduation were inversely correlated with participation in diabetes self-management education. Non-insulin therapy reduced the likelihood of receiving diabetes education (OR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.64; P<0.001).ConclusionLonger diabetes duration, insulin therapy, and higher education level were positively associated with the completion of diabetes education.