INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated the impact of a waiting room-administered, low-literacy, computer multimedia diabetes education program on patient self-management and provider intensification of therapy. METHODS: In this randomized, controlled trial, 129 participants either viewed a computer multimedia education program (intervention group) or read an educational brochure (control group) while in the waiting room. Participants were uninsured, primarily ethnic minority adults with type 2 diabetes receiving care from a county clinic in Chicago, Illinois. Wilcoxon test, t-test, and linear mixed model analyses evaluated changes in diabetes knowledge, self-efficacy, behaviors, medications prescribed, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and blood pressure levels over 3 months. RESULTS: During the study period, there was an increase in the number of oral diabetes medications prescribed over three months to multimedia users compared with those in the control group (p = 0.017). HbA1c declined by 1.5 in the multimedia group versus 0.8 in the control group (p = 0.06). There were no differences between groups in changes in blood pressure levels, self-efficacy, and most diabetes-related behaviors. Self-reported exercise increased in the control group compared with the multimedia group (0.9 days/week versus 0.1 days/week, p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: Multimedia users received a greater intensification of diabetes therapy, but demonstrated no difference in self-management in comparison with those receiving educational brochures. The availability of a computer multimedia program in the waiting room appears to be a novel and acceptable approach in providing diabetes education for underserved populations.

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