Objective      To determine the effect of taking family as an unit in health education on the treatment compliance for external insulin therapy for diabetes mellitus. Methods      A total of 120 diabetic patients treated who admitted in our hospital between July and December 2013 and need longterm insulin therapy outside the hospital were enrolled in the trial. All the patients were randomly divided into 2 groups

the control group (group C

n=60

38 males and 22 females

at a mean age of 58.93±14.15

with a disease duration of 7.82±5.62 years) and the test group (group T

n=60

36 males and 24 females

at a mean age of 60.03±12.17

with a disease duration of 8.13±6.08 years). Traditional health education was given to the patients from the group C. The patients of the group T were given the health education by taking family as an unit. The follow-up duration was 1 year. In the process

the awareness rate of external insulin therapy

treatment compliance

and the role of the family member in improving the compliance were collected and analyzed between the 2 groups. The indicators of fasting blood glucose (FPG)

2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPBG)

glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and urinary microalbumin (mAlb) were measured and compared between the 2 groups. Results      The awareness rate of external insulin therapy were better in the patients and family members between the group T and group C (95.87% vs 81.26%

88.57% vs 31.86%

P0.01). The treatment compliance (88.33% vs 38.33%) and role of family members in improving the compliance (96.33% vs 28.33%) were higher in the former than the latter groups (P0.01). The above-mentioned indicators were also better [HbA1c: (6.27±1.35)% vs (6.86±1.24)%; mAlb: (16.72±3.98) vs (24.62±5.05) mg/dL

P0.01]. Conclusion      Health education of taking family (mainly to the first degree relatives) as an unit significantly improves the awareness rate of external insulin therapy in the diabetic patients with external insulin therapy and in their family members

promotes the treatment compliance of the patients with the aid of their relatives

and thus enhances the efficacy of external insulin therapy

especially the long-term efficacy.