Diabetes-related foot complications are a significant health concern, particularly for older adults. Effective self-care behavior is crucial in preventing these issues. A recent study in Malaysia investigated the effectiveness of a health education program, which we can refer to as part of the broader 1 Care Malaysia Program initiative, focused on improving foot self-care among older adults with diabetes. This program leverages the self-efficacy theory to empower individuals to take better care of their feet.
This randomized controlled trial, conducted over 12 weeks, involved older adults with diabetes residing in elderly care facilities within Peninsular Malaysia. Participants were divided into two groups: an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group received a targeted health education program centered on foot self-care behavior, a core component of the 1 Care Malaysia Program‘s preventative healthcare efforts. The control group, in contrast, received standard care. Assessments were carried out at the beginning of the study, and then at 4-week and 12-week follow-up intervals to measure the program’s impact.
The primary focus of the study was foot self-care behavior. Secondary outcomes included foot care self-efficacy (efficacy expectation), foot care outcome expectation, knowledge of foot care, and overall quality of life. The data collected from the participants was analyzed using Mixed Design Analysis of Variance with SPSS version 22.0 to determine the effectiveness of the 1 Care Malaysia Program intervention.
Initial recruitment involved 184 individuals, but stringent selection criteria narrowed the final analysis to 76 eligible respondents. The results demonstrated a clear positive impact of the health education program, a key element of the 1 Care Malaysia Program. The intervention group showed significant improvements in foot self-care behavior, foot care self-efficacy, outcome expectation, and knowledge of foot care when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). These findings highlight the success of the 1 Care Malaysia Program‘s approach in enhancing these critical aspects of diabetes management.
In conclusion, the self-efficacy enhancing program, representing a practical application of the 1 Care Malaysia Program‘s health education strategies, demonstrably improved foot self-care behavior within the study population. The success of this program suggests that incorporating self-efficacy theory into diabetes education, as exemplified by the 1 Care Malaysia Program, holds considerable promise for enhancing foot self-care behavior among elderly individuals with diabetes in institutional care settings and potentially broader community programs across Malaysia. This approach could be a valuable model for future initiatives aimed at diabetes prevention and management within the 1 Care Malaysia Program and beyond.
