Background and aim of the work: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic illness with high morbidity, and mortality, and high public health burden. Diabetes education should include some psychosocial factors such as patient's self-efficacy, which might have a significant effect on a patient's adherence to self-management practice. The aim of This study was to evaluate the effect of an educational program on knowledge, practice, and self-efficacy for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Subjects and Methods: A quasi experimental research design was used in this study. The study was conducted in diabetic outpatient clinics of Al-Ahrar Hospital. A purposive sample of 60 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The study lasted from the beginning of March 2016 to the end of February 2017. Four tools were used for collection of data; 1st tool was diabetic patient's assessment and clinical data, 2nd tool was diabetic patients' knowledge questionnaire, 3rd tool was diabetic patients' self-reported practice, and 4th tool was diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale.
Results: There were statistically significant improvements in patients' knowledge (p=0.000), self-reported practice (p=0.000), and self-efficacy (p=0.000) post-program implementation with slight decline in follow-up phase.
Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the educational program had a statistically significant effect on knowledge, practice, and self-efficacy for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Additionally, promoting diabetic patients' personal motivation and self-efficacy could improve their practices, with subsequent positive effects on health outcomes and diabetes control. Therefore, the study recommended generalization of such educational program on all health care settings providing services to T2DM patients. The developed illustrated booklet should be available and distributed for each diabetic patient in all health care settings providing services for diabetic patients. A continuous assessment of diabetic patients' self efficacy should be integrated as a part of treatment plan by trained nurses.