Effects of health education based on health belief model in elderly patients with 0 grade diabetic foot

Abstract

Objective To explore the effects of health education based on health belief model in elderly patients with 0 grade diabetic foot. Methods Elderly patients with 0 grade diabetic foot of endocrinology ward were selected by convenience sampling in Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Shandong Province as subjects form 1st January to 31st March 2014. Patients were divided into observation group (n=49) and control group (n=51) with the random number table. On the end of the study, there were 47 patients in observation group and 42 in control group. Patients of both groups all received the same treatment and knowledge education during hospitalization. After discharge, monthly telephone follow-up was carried out for patients in control group along with answering questions, while health education based on health belief model was applied for patients in observation group. The glucose and TG control condition, self-care behavior and foot situation were compared between two groups. Results Six months and three years after intervention, the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) , plasma glucose two hours after glucose load (2hPG) , glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) , triglyceride (TG) of patients in observation group were lower than those in control group with significant differences (P<0.05) . Three years after intervention, the diabetes self-care behavior of patients in observation group was significantly better than that in control group (P<0.05) ; the situation of ulcer/infection, deformity, blister/callosum, xerosis cutis/chapped skin, pain/twitch of lower limbs and anaesthesia in the foot of patients in observation group was better than those in control group with significant differences (P<0.05) . Conclusions The health education based on health belief model for elderly patients with 0 grade diabetic foot can make the effects of glucose control and blood lipid control lasting and stable. Besides, the self-care ability of diabetic foot of patients improves by knowledge learning again and again and correcting unhealthy life styles so as to reduce the risk of infection, ulcer, thanatosis and amputation. Key words: Diabetes mellitus; Diabetic foot; Health education; Health belief model