Ugwu C Uchenna
University of Nigeria, Nigeria
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Gen Med (Los Angeles)
Background: Pregnancy is often presented with multiple preventable complications including diabetes mellitus. During antenatal visits, pregnant women are clinically checked by healthcare professionals for easy identification of cases, diagnosis and subsequent treatment of diseases as well as referral services. However, researches have shown that well-planned educational interventions have proven to be significantly effective in preventing pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes, among others. Objective: This study determined the significant effect of Gestational Diabetes Education Intervention (GDEI) on Diabetes Mellitus Prevention (DMP) among antenatal-based Nigerian women as well as significant differences within groups. Methods: An experimental research design of pre-post test measures involving experimental (n=220) and control (n=220) groups was adopted. The recruitment of 440 study participants was done from public healthcare facilities between February and April, 2022. Only the participants in experimental group received the interventional manual. Data collection in both groups was completed using Diabetes Mellitus Prevention Questionnaire (DMPQ) with 0.849 reliability index. Using IBM SPSS-22, all statistical analysis was completed. Results: The GDEI had significant effect on diabetes mellitus prevention among antenatal-based Nigerian women (p<0.05). Statistically, significant difference existed on variables of alcohol intake, parity status and education (p<0.05), while no difference was recorded on maternal age (p>0.05). Also, significant difference was indicated on the treatment and control groups on pretest measures (p<0.05), while none existed on the groups on posttest scores (p>0.05). Conclusion: Antenatal-based Nigerian women are vulnerable to gestational diabetes mellitus and thus, require well-planned educational intervention for an effective prevention and management. The GDEI recorded significant effect on diabetes mellitus prevention among the participants. Recommendation: In addition to clinical services, other approaches such as reliable educational interventions should be adopted by healthcare professionals in attending to antenatal-based women for diabetes mellitus prevention.
Uchenna C Ugwu is a public health educator by profession, a passionate educator and renowned researcher with special interest in community health, education and sports sciences. He believes in the power of education, sensitization, empowerment, teaching and program development as reliable tool to improve the quality of lives of the populace. As an experienced health educator, his goal centres on contributing the best quota to the professional healthcare development especially in developing regions of the world.
