Effect of a community-based intervention on self-care among diabetes patients in rural Tamil Nadu: A mixed-method study

• Published in: Primary care diabetes 2022-08, Vol.16 (4), p.484-490
• Main Authors: Mary J, Jenifer Florence, Dongre, Amol R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Depression status; Diabetes self-care; Peer support group; Peers; Treatment adherence
• ISSN: 1751-9918; 1878-0210
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pcd.2022.05.001

Peer support models for the management of diabetes self-care have been hailed as a promising solution to strengthen a formal health system to support diabetes patients. Diabetes self-care in patients can truncate the risk factors and reduce the complications. To identify self-care level (adherence to the diet, exercise, treatment) and depression among known diabetes patients and to find the effect of the support group intervention on diabetes self-care. A Sequential type Embedded Mixed-Method study (qual→QUAN(qual)→qual) was conducted in three phases in 168 known diabetes adults aged ≥ 30 years in a rural setting. After obtaining IEC clearance, the intervention was carried out over eight months, forming peer support groups in four villages. Each group comprises between six to 12 participants. Assessment of self-care, treatment adherence and depression with standardized scales. A manual content analysis was performed on the qualitative data. The Wilcoxon rank test was used to compare the quantitative data before and after intervention and analyzed using SPSS (Version_24) software package. In this study, we found improved self-care practices and treatment adherence among study participants (p