Effects of the Capillary Blood Glucose with Community Program on Blood Sugar Control in Diabetic Patients with Uncontrollable Glucose Levels

Abstract

Diabetic patients with uncontrolled blood sugar levels are likely to have subsequent complications. This quasi-experimental research aimed to compare the effects of the program for diabetis control using Dextrostix method for determination of blood glucose levels in community and to compare the mean cumulative sugar and blood sugar control. The study subjects were diabetic patients with uncontrol blood sugar levels, divided into 2 groups according to the selection criteria - 30 experimental groups and 30 control groups. The tool for collecting data was a questionnaire on the knowledge and self-care behavior, the capillary blood glucose detector, and the records of cumulative sugar test results. Method of research conducted by the interviews with the two sample groups. In the experimental group, the program was organized as follows: (1) educating on self-care, (2) providing a manual on fingertip blood sugar testing and provided health care advice, (3) monitoring the results of blood sugar tests, (4) creating buddies between the patients and kocal health volunteers. For the control group, routing health care services were provided. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation; and using inferential statistics (paired t-test and independent t-test) for comparison between the 2 groups. The findings revealed that after the experiment the experimental group had higher average score of knowledge and self-care behaviors than before the experiment, and higher than the that of the control group (p<0.05). In addition, the experimental group had a better cumulative mean sugar value than before the experiment, and better than that of the control (p<0.05). The number for patients with controlled blood sugar levels was higher in the experiment group. Thus, public health facilities should continue to use the this program to improve blood sugar control in other diabetes patients in the community.