Role of Education of Diabetes to Controlling Plasma Glucose, BMI, Cholesterol, Blood Pressure in Central Hospital Nampula.

Abstract

Mozambique is located on the East Coast of Africa. In this country, obesity, poor knowledge regarding diabetes, and a lack of awareness of the complications of diabetes are prevalent. Furthermore, most of the population utilizes traditional healers for the treatment of diabetes. There are unhealthy food habits, a sedentary lifestyle in the urban population, and increased economic growth among office-related professions, which is one of the risk factors that cause diabetes and its complications. Currently, no study has been conducted for patients on the effects of education in various modalities of diabetes. Accordingly, there is an extreme need to educate diabetic patients to improve their control of diabetes and to reduce its complications.   Adequate medical management and proper lifestyle measures should start directly at the time of the diagnosis of diabetes, which can result in the diabetic individual living a life just as cheerful as that of a non-diabetic person. However, this objective requires proper counselling of the patient specifically at the time of diagnosis, which can be achieved by well-planned educational programs that target the newly diagnosed diabetic individual and create awareness about diabetes.  In central hospital Nampula in diabetic OPD, three education sessions were organized, at an interval of one month (baseline, first follow up and second follow up). Each participant was evaluated in each session regarding their BMI, blood pressure, plasma glucose, cholesterol concentrations. The statistical analysis showed strong significantly positive correlation effects with glucose to BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol on controlling each of these parameters. Prior to the commencement of the baseline education session, an evaluation of the evolution of patient knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus (the pretest) was performed. At the end of the second follow up, a posttest was performed, which showed strong significant increases in the knowledge of diabetes.