The effect of a new self-care guide package on anxiety and self-efficacy in women with gestational diabetes: a quasi-experimental study

Masoomeh Kheirkhah; Ebrahim Naeimi; Zahra Amanollahi; Maryam Maadi Esfahan; Gelareh Feili

doi:10.1007/s40200-023-01218-0

The effect of a new self-care guide package on anxiety and self-efficacy in women with gestational diabetes: a quasi-experimental study

J Diabetes Metab Disord. 2023 May 11;22(2):1117-1128. doi: 10.1007/s40200-023-01218-0. eCollection 2023 Dec.

Authors

Masoomeh Kheirkhah¹, Ebrahim Naeimi², Zahra Amanollahi², Maryam Maadi Esfahan², Gelareh Feili³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Reproductive Health and Midwifery, Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Medical Sciences Tehran University, Tehran, Iran.
² Department of Counseling, Psychology and Education Faculty, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.
³ Consultation on Midwifery, Nursing & Midwifery Faculty, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Purpose: Considering the importance of education and its role in promoting self-efficacy and reducing anxiety, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of group self-care education on self-efficacy and anxiety among women with gestational diabetes.

Methods: The present quasi-experimental study was conducted on 110 women with gestational diabetes mellitus. They were selected using the convenience sampling method in centers with obstetric clinics and perinatal departments. In the intervention group, women (n = 55) received training in groups of 5-7 people during a 60-minute session weekly for four consecutive weeks. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and diabetes self-efficacy scale (DSES-S) was completed by participants three times, before, immediately after training, and four weeks later. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive and inferential tests (Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test, independent t-test, and general linear model repeated measures analysis of variance) in SPSS ver.

Results: There was no different between the two groups in terms of the score of self-efficacy (P = 0.604) and anxiety (P = 0.780) constructs before the intervention. Time, group, and their interaction has a significant effect in three time periods, i.e. before, immediately and 4 weeks after self-care training intervention in self-efficacy (p < 0.001) and anxiety (p < 0.001) constructs at %99 confidence interval.

Conclusion: Group self-care training reduced anxiety among women with gestational diabetes (GD) and increased self-efficacy. Self-care group training is an easy, affordable, and non-invasive method and can be easily performed by midwives. This method can be used to reduce anxiety and increase self-efficacy among women with GD.

Keywords: Anxiety; Gestational diabetes; Group training; Self-care; Self-efficacy.

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