Impact of Educational Intervention Based on Interactive Approaches on Beliefs, Behavior, Hemoglobin A1c, and Quality of Life in Diabetic Women

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a public health challenge worldwide and to manage it the patient is required to make some fundamental changes in behavior. Patients should be involved in care program to improve their diabetes condition and quality of life (QOL). This study aimed to examine the effect of educational program on beliefs, behavior, glycemic control indicator, and QOL among diabetic women. METHODS: In this interventional study, 90 female outpatients with type 2 diabetes were randomly selected from those referred to diabetes clinic in Khoy, Iran, during 2011. They were divided into two groups, 45 participants as the intervention group and 45 subjects as the comparison group. Knowledge, beliefs, and behavior by valid and reliable questionnaires, and health-related QOL (HRQOL) by means of WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire were assessed. Hemoglobin A1c level (HbA1c) was measured by the colorimetric method, educational program was conducted on the intervention group for 4 weeks, and changes were compared in two groups after a 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: After intervention, there was a significant difference between two groups in terms of the mean scores of knowledge (P < 0.001), attitude (P < 0.01), self-efficacy (P < 0.001), and behavior (P < 0.001). The findings also indicated that there were significant differences between the groups in mean scores of physical, psychological, and social domains of QOL after intervention (P < 0.001). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference between two groups in the mean value of HbA1c after educational intervention (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Instructional interventions based on interactive approaches can be useful, and applicable for behavior modification and improvement of HbA1c level and HRQOL in people with DM.