Background & Aim:The lack of sufficient knowledge and poor performance on the part of the diabetic patients, Leads to serious complications. Promoting knowledge level is the best way to control this disease. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of peer support on the knowledge level in type II diabetic patients.
Materials and Methods: This experimental study was performed by choosing 80 type II diabetic patients in a relative, Stratified and random way and divided into two experimental and control groups. Peers held down ten training - supportive sessions for the experimental group during three consecutive months. The Tool for the measurement of knowledge level was a pre-made questionnaire, that was used after confirming the validity by content validity and test retest reliability (r=0.85). Data was collected through interviews at baseline and 3 months after intervention in both groups. Data were analyzed through Chi-square, paired, and independent T tests.
Results: Chi-square test showed that both the experimental and control groups were similar in demographic characteristics. The findings of independent t test did not show any significant difference between the mean score of the knowledge level of the two groups before intervention (p=0.59), While a statistically significant difference was observed after intervention (p < 0.01). Also Paired t test showed a significant increase in the knowledge level of the experimental group after intervention (p < 0.01). Whereas the same test showed no statistically significant difference in control groups (p=0.07).
Conclusion: The results showed that peers^, support can be used to complement formal health workers in the community, as an effective and affordable method of instructional support, in order to improve the knowledge level and self-management behaviors of Patient.