This study aimed to provide a portrait of diabetes patients’ knowledge and self-care practices before and after educational intervention. There were substantial improvements in diabetes knowledge and self-care practises before and after the educational approach during Ramadan. The findings of this study may aid in developing appropriate techniques to promote patient self-management in diabetic patients who wish to fast.
The patient's mean BMI was 24.78 ± 3.62 kg/m2, indicating that the BMI range was overweight. This finding is connected to study conducted in T2DM patients in Pakistan (Bukhsh et al., 2019) and South Africa (Groenewald et al., 2009), where the prevalence of overweight and obesity was prevalent among diabetes patients. This could be attributed to the fact that the prevalence of overweight and/or obesity among T2DM patients is much greater than in the general population (Reddy et al., 2015). The equal participation of males and females (50.54% versus 49.46%) in this study can be influenced by various factors, including but not limited to prevalence of diabetes, healthcare seeking behavior, awareness and education, and access to healthcare services.
The mean age of participant in this study was 59.77 ± 9.64 years which suggested that age as a risk factor for developing diabetes. Most persons with T2DM in industrialized nations are over 60, while in developing countries, the majority of patients with DM are under 60, with the highest number (43.2%) in those aged 40–59 (Ntontolo et al., 2017). This result was also the same with other study which found that the average age of diabetes population is 58.43 years; and normally, type 2 diabetes occurs in old age (Bukhsh et al., 2019).
The mean (± SD) value of HbA1c at 9.21 ± 2.62% implies that, on average, the diabetes patients in this study have poor glycemic control, as the recommended target for most individuals with diabetes is typically below 7%. This result suggests that the individuals may be at an increased risk of diabetes-related complications due to elevated blood sugar levels. Therefore, there is a need for interventions to improve glycemic control and reduce the risk of long-term complications associated with uncontrolled diabetes (Zainudin et al., 2018).
This study implemented educational interventions in three ways: oral explanation, flyer distribution, and weekly phone calls. These interventions have been found to help individuals improve their knowledge and self-care practices. Several studies showed that educational interventions improve diabetic knowledge (assessed by DKQ score) and self-care practices (assessed by DMSQ score).
Knowledge assessment
The drastic change in the distribution of DKQ scores before and after the educational intervention for individuals willing to fast during Ramadan in Aceh is evident from the striking values observed. The significant increase in the proportion of individuals categorized under the good knowledge level post-intervention (92.47%) compared to pre-intervention (30.65%) demonstrates the efficacy of the educational approach. The intervention appears to have led to a remarkable improvement in diabetes-related knowledge among participants.
Various research has supported the knowledge improvement from the educational intervention's influence on raising knowledge among diabetics, as seen in this finding. For instance, a meta-analysis found that self-efficacy-focused education improved knowledge and self-management practices among diabetics (Jiang et al., 2019). Similarly, a pretest post-test study to assess the effectiveness of prerecorded educational messages delivered over the phone to diabetes patients found that a brief telephone-based diabetes education intervention can have a significant impact on improving general diabetes knowledge and self-care practices (Boren et al., 2006).
Furthermore, Ramadan-specific research have stressed the need of improving health outcomes for Ramadan observers, especially those with diabetes (Almansour et al., 2017; Salti et al., 2004). These findings highlight the importance of specialized educational interventions during Ramadan to meet the unique obstacles that people with diabetes encounter while fasting. Furthermore, study examined the influence of Ramadan-focused education programs on diabetes management while fasting, reinforcing the significance of educational interventions in enhancing knowledge and self-care practices during Ramadan (Ibrahim et al., 2023).
Self-care practice assessment
The significant difference observed in DMSQ scores before and after the educational intervention during Ramadan in Aceh suggests a notable positive impact of the intervention on the participants' self-care practices related to diabetes. The significant increase in the proportion of individuals categorized under optimal self-care practices post-intervention (94.08%) compared to pre-intervention (83.87%) indicates the effectiveness of the educational approach.
Some studies have found that educational interventions can enhance diabetic patients' self-care practices throughout Ramadan. For example, a randomized controlled trial found that Ramadan-focused education improved diabetes management and clinical outcomes while fasting (Ibrahim et al., 2023). Similarly, McEwen et al. (2015) reported that a personalized diabetes education program reduced hypoglycemia episodes and acute complications during Ramadan. Another study explored the effectiveness of the fasting algorithm in managing glycemic control throughout Ramadan and found a beneficial impact on self-care practices, as seen by improved glycemic control during fasting (Lum et al., 2020).
While the results show a remarkable improvement, there might be underlying factors influencing the drastic change besides the educational intervention. Factors such as participant motivation, comprehension of the educational material, Participant adherence to the educational guidelines or concurrent external sources of information could have contributed to the observed changes in DKQ and DMSQ scores.
Self-care practice subscale assessment
This study further elaborated on the DMSQ subscale. Interestingly, three subscales showed substantial improvement: eating behavior, medication taking, and glucose monitoring. These changes suggest a notable improvement in these aspects of diabetes self-care practices among individuals who participated in the educational intervention between pre and post Ramadan. Some possible explanation on these changes likely due to the focused educational intervention (Ebadi Fardazar et al., 2017) in which participants have received guidance on diet modification during fasting, fasting practices, increased health awareness, and supportive environment (Bouchareb et al., 2022; Eid et al., 2017). During Ramadan, individuals' eating habits may change since they fast from sunrise to sunset. This shift in dietary patterns and meal timings can have an impact on eating behavior and medication use, necessitating modifications to medication schedules and glucose monitoring to correspond with fasting and mealtimes. Furthermore, the religious importance of Ramadan may raise health awareness among individuals, resulting in better adherence to medication regimens and vigilant glucose monitoring to guarantee optimal health during fasting. Furthermore, the communal character of Ramadan observance may generate a supportive environment, encouraging people to stick to their medication schedules and practice regular glucose monitoring in order to manage their diabetes while fasting effectively.
However, the lack of significant improvement in physical activity and cooperation with the diabetes team could be due to various reasons. Muslims with diabetes may have specific concerns that make them hesitant to engage in regular physical activity or exercise during Ramadan, such as risk of hypoglycemia, fear of dehydration, alterations in medication timing, concerns about health risks, religious obligations and priorities individual variation in health conditions, and cultural and social factors. Individuals with diabetes who fast might be concerned about the increased risk of hypoglycemia due to alterations in mealtime and reduced food intake. Physical activity can further lower blood sugar levels, which may lead to hypoglycemia if not managed properly. Engaging in physical activity while fasting can increase the risk of dehydration, especially in combination with limited fluid intake during fasting hours. Some individuals with diabetes may fear that exercise or physical activity could lead to health complications or exacerbate their condition, especially if they haven't been physically active regularly or if they have pre-existing complications related to diabetes. In Aceh, people tend to prioritize their religious obligations practices such as prayers and Quranic recitation over physical activity, leading to a lack of motivation or time for exercise.
Recommendation
The development and utilization of Ramadan-focused education programs to allow healthcare providers (HCPs) to provide better care and ensure the safety of people with diabetes who fast during Ramadan is still needed (Hassanein et al., 2019). The study by Hassanein et al. (2019) highlights the various challenges for people with diabetes who fast during Ramadan and the need to improve their diabetes management. This can be achieved by providing pre-Ramadan structured patient education along with specific management guidelines for healthcare providers (Hassanein et al., 2021;. Lee et al., 2017)
Limitation
The study might lack assessment of the sustained long-term impact of the educational intervention. Without follow-up evaluations beyond the immediate post-intervention period, the lasting effectiveness of the intervention remains uncertain. While the dramatic shift in DKQ scores and three subscales of DMSQ suggests a significant positive impact of the educational intervention on diabetes knowledge among individuals willing to fast during Ramadan in Aceh, further investigation and consideration of potential influencing factors are necessary to comprehensively understand the observed changes.