Application of the Health Belief Model on the Perception of Diabetes Mellitus among teachers in public secondary schools in Southern Nigeria: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background and Objective. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is present in all strata of the population including teachers. Teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of diabetes prevention are crucial, as they can directly impact the health education provided to students and, consequently, their long-term health behaviours. This study aimed to evaluate how teachers in public secondary schools perceived diabetes mellitus using the Health Belief Model in Southern Nigeria. Materials and Methods. This cross-sectional descriptive research was carried out in two schools among 100 purposively selected teachers. The data collection tool was a standardised questionnaire divided into three sections. To measure how participants perceived DM, a 23-point perception scale was employed. The collected data was presented in descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics at p<0.05. Results. The results show that the average age of the respondents was 44.07±6.62 years, and 69(69.0%) were females. Notable gaps were observed in the perception regarding the seriousness of DM and the specific roles of diet and exercise in prevention. Overall, 55(64.0%) respondents exhibited a right view of DM. Both sex (AOR=1.105, p<0.05) and experience of teaching (AOR=1.091, p<0.05) were significant predictors of view of DM prevention. Conclusion. The study's results indicated that while there was an overall consensus that diabetes is a serious disease that should be prevented, there were some significant discrepancies in the perceived seriousness of diabetes. Therefore, targeted educational initiatives are needed to address specific gaps in perception, especially the concepts of the HBM about diabetes management and prevention.