Effectiveness of a Health Literacy and Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) Improvement Program for People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Community-Based Quasiexperimental Study in Thailand

Background: This community-based randomised controlled study was aimed at evaluating a health literacy (HL) and diabetes self-management education (DSME) improvement program (HL-DSME program) among people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: The program conducted in Sakonnakhon Province in northeastern Thailand comprised 1 day of theory and a 4-week period of follow-up. There were 72 participants (36 participants for each intervention and control group) in the program. Independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance and, paired-sample T-tests were used to predict HL and self-management scores. Results: The participants in the intervention group increased their total HL score and four dimensions of the HL score significantly in comparison to those in the control group. Total self-management score and the score related to the dimension of exercise behaviour among the participants in the intervention group improved significantly in comparison to those in the control group. Conclusion: The HL-DSME program could increase the total score of HL, scores of four dimensions of HL, the total score of self-management, and the score related to exercise behaviour. Healthcare providers who try to enhance diabetes patients' self-management practices should consider diabetes patients' HL and provide health education regularly. Diabetes management approach should be scalable, efficacious, sustainable, and affordable for patients. Trial Registration: Thai Registry of Clinical Trials: TCTR20241120002