Users' Experiences With Web-Based Health Care Information: Qualitative Study About Diabetes and Dementia Information Presented on a Governmental Website.

Background: Information on health and health care is abundant on the internet. To make informed choices, patients need reliable and easy-to-understand information about quality and availability of care providers and treatment options. However, the reliability of such Web-based information is difficult to assess.

Developing quality criteria for patient-directed knowledge tools related to clinical practice guidelines. A development and consensus study.

Background: Patient-directed knowledge tools such as patient versions of guidelines and patient decision aids are increasingly developed to facilitate shared decision making. In this paper, we report how consensus was reached within the Netherlands on quality criteria for development, content and governance of these tools.

Method: A 12-month development and consensus study.

Clinical prediction rules in practice: review of clinical guidelines and survey of GPs.

Background: The publication of clinical prediction rules (CPRs) studies has risen significantly. It is unclear if this reflects increasing usage of these tools in clinical practice or how this may vary across clinical areas.

Aim: To review clinical guidelines in selected areas and survey GPs in order to explore CPR usefulness in the opinion of experts and use at the point of care.

Self-monitoring of blood glucose in noninsulin-using type 2 diabetic patients: it is time to face the evidence.

Given the importance of glycemic control in the development of diabetes complications, the plethora of tools now available to monitor the day-to-day trends in glycemia is remarkable. In this regard, self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) has been considered a key component of patient management. Arguably, there remains almost universal agreement that SMBG should be available to all diabetic patients regardless of current treatment strategy.

Self-monitoring of blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are not using insulin.

Background: Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) has been found to be effective for patients with type 1 diabetes and for patients with type 2 diabetes using insulin. There is much debate on the effectiveness of SMBG as a tool in the self-management for patients with type 2 diabetes who are not using insulin.

Objectives: To assess the effects of SMBG in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are not using insulin.

Effects of self-monitoring of glucose in non-insulin treated patients with type 2 diabetes: design of the IN CONTROL-trial.

Background: Diabetes specific emotional problems interfere with the demanding daily management of living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Possibly, offering direct feedback on diabetes management may diminish the presence of diabetes specific emotional problems and might enhance the patients' belief they are able to manage their illness. It is hypothesized that self-monitoring of glucose in combination with an algorithm how and when to act will motivate T2DM patients to become more active participants in their own care leading to a decrease in diabetes related distress and an increased self-efficacy.