Effectiveness of Nurse-Directed Education on Knowledge Regarding Diabetes Mellitus Among Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus stands as one of the primary noncommunicable diseases worldwide and is the most common metabolic disorder. The growing number of people affected by DM underscores its considerable impact on global public health. Nurses are adept at providing care and educational support to individuals with diabetes due to their extended patient interaction compared to other healthcare providers. Moreover, they possess the necessary skills and resources to enact efficient strategies and adhere to optimal practices in managing diabetes. Objective: The study's objectives were to assess the level of knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus among diabetic patients, assess the effectiveness of nurse-directed education on knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus among diabetic patients, and find out the association between knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus with their selected socio-demographic and clinical variables. Material and Methods: In this study, a quantitative research approach and a pre-experimental research design (one-group pre-test and post-test design) were utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of nurse-directed education on knowledge about diabetes mellitus among diabetic patients. Nonprobability convenience sampling was employed to select 100 diabetic patients from the medical OPD and medical wards of a tertiary care hospital in Vadodara. A self-structured questionnaire was employed to collect socio-demographic and clinical data, as well as to assess the knowledge of patients about diabetes mellitus. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the data as per the study objectives. Results: The study results indicated that the mean post-test knowledge score was 21.04±3.86, indicating a notable increase from the pretest mean knowledge score of 12.37±4.25, showing an improvement of 8.67. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference (t=16.27, df=99, p=0.001), confirming the effectiveness of nurse-directed education in enhancing knowledge about diabetes mellitus among diabetic patients. Additionally, chi-square analysis revealed no significant association between socio-demographic variables and the pre-test level of knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus among diabetic patients. However significant association was noted between the BMI of diabetic patients with their knowledge categories. Conclusion: The study concluded that nurse-directed education effectively improved the knowledge level regarding diabetes mellitus among diabetic patients and findings may be generalizable to similar contexts.