Effects of Diabetes Prevention Education Programme on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Knowledge and Preventive Practices among Retirees in Enugu State

Abstract

This study determined the effect of diabetes prevention education programme on type 2 diabetes knowledge and preventive practice among retirees in Enugu State, Nigeria. The study adopted the quasi experimental research design. Specifically, the pre-test – post-test non randomized control group design. A total of 78 retirees constituted the sample for the study. The instrument used for data collection titled “Diabetes Knowledge and Preventive Practice Questionnaire (DKPQ)”. The Diabetes Prevention Education Program (DPEP) has four units which was delivered to the retirees for four months. The reliability indices of .63,  and .75 were obtained for sub sections B, and C, Mean and standard deviation was used to answer research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), and t-test  were used to test the null hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The findings showed   that the mean T2DM knowledge and practice scores of retirees exposed to DPEP were higher than those not exposed.  In addition, there was a significant difference in the mean T2DM knowledge scores of retirees exposed to DPEP and those not exposed. F(46.539)= 197.8, P = .000 (np²)= .383.  There was no significant difference in the mean T2DM practices scores of retirees exposed to DPEP and those not exposed , F(.009)= .693, P = .408, (np²) = .009. This implies that DPEP was not effective in improving T2DM practices scores of retirees. There is a need for more public health educational interventions to promote healthy preventive practices among retirees in Enugu State.