Community-Academic Partnership in Action: Results of a Pilot Diabetes Intervention Program in Rural Southern Philippines

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of diabetes in the Philippines is a growing public health concern,especially among prediabetic individuals lacking knowledge and awareness about the disease.This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 6-mo community-based health program in a rural area of southern Philippines. The pilot intervention comprised comprehensive learning modules, lectures, discussions, exercises, personalized nutrition counseling, and house-to-house monitoring visits conducted by healthcare professionals affiliated with a higher education institution (HEI), in collaboration with community leaders and health workers. Twenty-two (22) adults with hyperglycemia were enrolled in the study, and their knowledge, attitude, and practices were evaluated before and after the intervention. The majority of participants were aged over 50 (90.91%), were female (86.36%), were married (95.45%), had completed secondary education (50.00%), and were unemployed (59.09%). The results indicated a significant improvement in participants' knowledge (p < 0.001) and practices (p = 0.019). However, the study revealed that attitudes remained predominantly neutral, suggesting challenges in adapting to the condition (p = 0.266). This study underscores the significance of community-academic partnerships and the engagement of community health workers in fostering sustainable health promotion initiatives. Future research endeavors could explore the integration of diverse health promotion strategies to enhance positive attitudes toward diabetes management. The findings of this study can provide valuable insights for larger-scale multisectoral investigations, as well as inform the development of effective and tailored diabetes prevention and management programs in the Philippines and worldwide.