Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the health education program which used group process on self – care behavior in Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Millitus. This study utilized quasi-experimental research design. The sample was non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus paticnts who attended Patiu Hospital during October 1999 to March 2000. The purposive sampling selected was divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group comprised of 18 patients. The control group was 19 patients. The experimental group received the health education program which used group process 4 times in 2 months. The control group received the hospital’s routine health education. The data was collected by interview questionnaire. Frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation, pair sample t-test and independent sample t-test were applied to analyze the data. The results found that the experimental group gained a statistically higher level of knowledge and self-care behavior than did the control group. The fasting blood sugar levels has decrease after the end of the course of the program. Also, the experimental group had significantly lower fasting blood sugar level than did the control group. These findings demonstrated that the health education program leads to improved self-care behavior and blood sugar levels. Therefore, the program should be applied to the other chronic disease patients.
