Evaluation of the effect of self-care behavior training on glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in diabetic patients

Background: Successful management of blood glucose levels is one of the most important factors in the health of diabetic patients. Evidence suggests that poor self-care is the leading cause of mortality and complications in diabetic patients; therefore, these individuals require improved self-care knowledge. With this background in mind, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of self-care training on glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in diabetic patients.

Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 80 diabetic patients referring to the Bandar Abbas diabetic clinic, selected by random sampling and allocated to two groups of intervention and control using stratified random sampling. In the intervention group, a designed group training program was carried out for nine 60-minute sessions once a week for 12 weeks. Subjects in the control group received usual care of the clinic. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and HbA1c test prior to and at the end of the study. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 18 using Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square, and independent and paired t-test.

Results: Before the intervention, mean HbA1c levels in the intervention and control groups were 8.18±1.66 and 8.41±2.10, respectively. However, after the intervention these values reached 7.78±1.48 and 8.82±2.11, respectively (P=0.01).

Conclusion: According to the results of this study, implementation of self-care training program led to a significant reduction in HbA1c levels in the samples. Therefore, nurses and other healthcare providers could take advantage of this approach as an appropriate educational method to efficiently manage diabetes in patients.