Effect of a Diabetes Education Program on Family Members' Attitudes toward Diabetes

Abstract

Aim: Attitude is a response to certain events and phenomena based on past knowledge and experience. This study aimed to improve the attitudes of family members toward diabetes after the implementation of the program. Method: The study was a one-group quasi-experimental design conducted with family members of patients with diabetes in a city in northern Turkey. There were a total of 38 family members of people with diabetes in the study group. The participants completed the personal information form and the Diabetes Attitude Scale as a pretest. They then took part in a diabetes education program based on the health belief model. After the education program, family members received an education booklet, health belief model-based text messages (twice per week for 3 months/total of 24), and phone calls (once per month/total of three). The family members completed the posttests at the end of the 3 months. Results: Of the family members, 55.3% were female, 42.1% were primary school graduates, 52.6% were spouses of patients with diabetes, and the mean age was 45.32 +/- 13.99 years. The Diabetes Attitude Scale total score was 3.2 +/- 0.2 on the pretest and 4.0 +/- 0.0 on the posttest (p < .001). There was a significant increase in all subscale scores after the intervention. Conclusion: There was a significant improvement in the attitudes of family members who participated in the diabetes education program. Having family members with positive attitudes toward diabetes can be beneficial in the management and care of the patient's diabetes.