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A quality improvement project to improve diabetes self-management and patient satisfaction in a low-resourced central Kenyan hospital


Tsitsi Muhoma
Margaret W Waruiru
Olayemi Sanni
Linda D Knecht
Marilyn McFarland

Abstract

Background: There is limited evidence about effective strategies for promoting culturally congruent diabetes education in low-resourced primary-care settings.


Objectives: This project, conducted in Central Kenya, examined the effect of an intervention on provider practices and patients’ knowledge of diabetes self-care management.


Methods: The intervention consisted of short (30-minute) sessions that offered providers evidenced-based, culturally con- gruent diabetes education and teaching materials to use with patients. A checklist was used to assess providers’ diabetes care practices at baseline and post intervention. Data from semi-structured patient interviews assessed patients’ diabetes knowledge at baseline and post intervention. Providers and patients also completed post-intervention satisfaction surveys.


Results: Six providers and 74 patients participated in the project. Statistical analysis was completed using SPSS. Significant increases were noted in patients’ post-intervention overall diabetes knowledge score (p=.05) and the foot care knowledge subscale (p=.02). No significant differences were noted between patients’ baseline and post-intervention scores in the gen- eral diabetes (p=.86) or nutrition knowledge (p=.32) subscales.


Conclusion: These findings suggest supporting providers with culturally congruent tools and resources about diabetes care guidelines can improve knowledge of self-care practices in patients with diabetes.


Keywords: Type II diabetes mellitus; foot care; diabetes self-care; diabetes education; culturally congruent; Swahili; Kikuyu; central Kenya.


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 1729-0503
print ISSN: 1680-6905