Necessity of the Andragogic Approach in Diabetes Education for Older Adults by the Family Physician

Abstract

Introduction: Traditional diabetes education for older adults in primary care presents significant limitations in adherence and self-care. There is an urgent need to incorporate the andragogic approach by the family physician to optimize these educational processes. Objective: To analyze the necessity of the andragogic approach in diabetes education for older adults conducted by the family physician in primary care. Methods: Qualitative descriptive study with a phenomenological design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 family physicians and 10 older adults with type 2 diabetes at the "Hermanos Cruz" polyclinic in the province and municipality of Pinar del Río, Cuba. Purposive sampling was used until thematic saturation. Thematic analysis with triangulation by two researchers. Approved by the institution's ethics committee. Results: Four categories highlighting the andragogic need were identified: 1) Intuitive but insufficient use of patient experience; 2) Communication barriers requiring participatory approaches; 3) Spontaneous strategies aligned with andragogic principles; 4) Unanimous demand for specific training in adult education. Conclusions: There is a need to systematize the andragogic approach in the training and practice of the family physician to transform diabetes education for older adults, significantly improving therapeutic adherence and clinical outcomes.