Background: Education to support self-management is an integral part of diabetes care. Patients and their carers should be offered a structured, evidence-based education program at the time of diagnosis, with annual update and review. Objective: to identify factors affecting knowledge and self-care practices of type 2 diabetic patients at Benha city and to assess patients' knowledge and self-care practices before and after implementing an educational interventional program. Subjects and Methods: An interventional study was carried out on 328 type II diabetic patients attending diabetes out-patient clinics at Benha University Hospital and Benha Teaching Hospital. Tools used were El- Gilany Social score, Rashed's Knowledge evaluation questionnaire and The Arabic version of the Summary of Diabetes Self- Care Activities, in addition to anthropometric measurements and lab testing. A group-based educational intervention session was performed then reassessment was done after 3 months. Result: The mean total score of diabetes knowledge test before educational intervention was 18.89±6.53. The mean overall score was 3.27±.96(days/week). 86.3% of the participants had poor diabetes control. The majority (72.8%) of patients with good diabetic control after the educational intervention were belonged to poor diabetic control before this intervention. there was a statistically significant difference between the mean of knowledge score and patient’s self-care activity scores before and after the application of the educational program. Conclusion: lifestyle changes involving dietary, exercise and diabetes self-management are effective in significant decrease in weight, BMI, FBS, and GhA1c and effective in improving patient s knowledge and patient self-care activity. Recommendations: Diabetes education is a cornerstone in the management and care of diabetes and should be an integral part of health planning involving patient s family, diabetes care team, community and decision makers in the education process.
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