Outcome of a Health Education Program Combined with Social Support on the Perceptions and Behaviors of at-risk groups for Diabetes in Prathatbu Subdistrict, Prasat District, Surin Province

Abstract

The prevention and control of diabetes incidence at the primary care level is a critical public health mission, particularly for high-risk individuals who may progress to type 2 diabetes without appropriate management. This quasi-experimental study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a health education program combined with social support on perceptions, health behaviors, and blood glucose levels among at-risk diabetes groups in Prathatbu Subdistrict, Prasat District, Surin Province. The sample consisted of 35 purposively selected high-risk individuals. The intervention instrument was a health education program entitled "Diabetes School," which delivered through five practical learning stations. This program integrated a social support network involving village health volunteers and a continuous monitoring system via the Line application over a 12-week period. Data collection tools included a health perception questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model, a health behavior questionnaire, and a capillary blood glucose recording form. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Paired t-test to compare mean scores before and after the intervention.

          The results revealed that after participating in the program, the participants had significantly higher mean scores for health perceptions and health behaviors compared to the pre-test at a .05 significance level. Distinctive positive changes were observed in dietary habits and physical activity. Furthermore, clinical outcomes showed that the mean blood glucose level significantly decreased from 108.00 mg/dL to 93.00 mg/dL (p < 0.001). These findings reflect that integrating social support with practical, hands-on health education can tangibly transform health perceptions and behaviors in the target group. This research serves as a model for managing diabetes risk groups in other communities, ensuring the sustainability of local health management in the future.