Effectiveness of an educational intervention in the integral care of patients with diabetes mellitus

Background To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention in the integral care of patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods A pre-experimental study was carried out with 103 patients with diabetes mellitus treated at Essalud, La Libertad, during the second quarter of 2024. Pre and post educational intervention information was collected about knowledge of the disease, complications, physical activity and diet, adherence to treatment and family support, number of medical and nursing controls per quarter, glycemia values, HbA1c and compliance with treatment after informed consent. The educational intervention included theoretical aspects of diabetes mellitus, self-care, physical activity, nutrition and family support in 2-hour workshops, once a week, for 2 months. Results Predominantly female, mean age 63.22 years, higher education, marital status married/cohabiting and main occupation employed/independent. 97.1% had type 2 diabetes mellitus, 38.8% reported disease duration < 5 years, 72.8% were treated with metformin and the main comorbidity was hypertension (58.3%). The educational intervention improved knowledge about diabetes mellitus (p < 0.001), achieved a significant change in eating habits (p = 0.022) and family support (p = 0.043), and homogenized the level of support among families (p = 0.025). 51.5% of the participants were noncompliant with the prescribed treatment. A significant difference (p < 0.01) was observed in the proportion of patients complying with treatment before and after the intervention. 76.8% of patients who initially complied with treatment continued to do so after the intervention. The efficacy of the educational program on glycemic control was not evidenced. Regarding integral control, 83.5 % of the patients received quarterly medical care and 44.7 % received nursing care. Conclusion The educational program was effective in improving knowledge about T2D, adherence to healthy eating and significantly improved the level of family support and compliance with treatment.