The Effectiveness of Participatory Learning Process to Modify Food Consumption Behavior of Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Patients with Nephropathy Attending Kumphawapi Primary Care Unit, Udonthani Province

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a participatory learning process to
modify food consumption of diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) patients with nephropathy.
The participants were 30 T2DM patients with nephropathy living in the catchment area of
the Kumphawapi sub-district administrative organization, Kumphawapi district, Udonthani
province. Participatory learning process sessions were conducted 4 times. Data including
knowledge of diabetic nephropathy, dietary for diabetic nephropathy, food consumption
behavior, frequency intake of food items and health status were assessed before and after
the implementation using interview questionnaires and recording forms. Descriptive
statistics were applied and data were presented as percentage, mean, standard deviation,
median, minimum and maximum values. To compare data before and after the learning
process, the paired t-test was done.
The results revealed that using participatory learning process to modifying food
consumption of T2DM patients with nephropathy resulted in an improved knowledge of
diabetes mellitus with nephropathy. The results were statistically significant (p-value<0.001)
with mean scores increasing from 5.63 to 7.83, knowledge of food consumption from 3.53
to 6.83 and food consumption practices from 178.77 to 190.13. In addition, the percentage
of patients with fasting blood sugar 100-126 mg% increased from 56.7% to 63.3%, HbA1C <
7.0 mg% from 10.0 % to 46.7% and glomerular filtration rate 60-80 ml/min/1.73m2 from
30.0% to 36.7%.
In conclusion, the participatory learning process can improve proper food
consumption by adding a better understanding about renal complications of T2DM as well
as increasing the awareness of the importance of good health practices. Therefore,
participatory leaning process should be promoted to modify behaviors of patients with
other chronic diseases so as to strengthen their potential for self-care.