Self-monitoring blood glucose at home: integrative literature review

Abstract

This integrative review aimed to search and to evaluate the available scientific evidence about blood glucose self-monitoring at home with a view to good metabolic control in the people with diabetes mellitus, in the period between 1990 and 2009. To develop this, the selection of the studies was carried through four databases: PUBMED (National Library of Medicine), MEDLINE/BVS (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online/Virtual Health Library), LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information) and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Heath Literature), resulting in twenty-eight scientific articles. The presentation of the articles included in this integrative review was distributed in four pictures, having considered the following points: periodic, year/country, title, authors, type of study, purpose, results and conclusion. The results were discussed of descriptive form and in accord with considered purpose. We highlight the importance of blood-glucose self-monitoring at home, having itself, therefore, to be stimulated between people with diabetes mellitus. However, it´s necessary that the health professionals are scientific foundations, to program effective interventions and attend to the real needs of the people with diabetes mellitus