Effects of Counseling Interventions in Persons with Prediabetes and Prehypertension on Health Indexes

Abstract

This pre-experimental research aimed to investigate the effect of counseling intervention in persons with prediabetes and prehypertension on blood glucose and lipid levels,blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference. The sample was recruited by purposive sampling of 29 community-dwelling people with prediabetes and prehypertension.The counseling interventions were guided by the Health Action Process Approach conceptual framework, including five meetings: establishing relationships, explaining knowledge about potential diseases and blood examination indexes, recommending proper exercise, selecting healthy diets, and setting mutual goals to solve health problems. The group discussion was conductedamong 3-5 persons per group.Data were collected using a health problem interview form, blood examination, and physical examination (blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference) at pre- and post-counseling interventions for 12 months. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and Wilcoxon’s signed rank test. The findings revealed that most of the sample had to go to work hurriedly in the morning. They could not have breakfast but had a meal in the evening or before sleeping. They did not have time and they lacked the knowledge and motivation for exercise. They were often stressed and anxious about the economic problems and responsibility for their family.After the intervention for 12months, the mean scores of health indexes:blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride,diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference were significantly lower than those of the pre-intervention. However, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein in blood and systolic blood pressure were not significantly different from the pre-intervention. In conclusion, the counseling intervention program could reduce some important health indexes in persons with prediabetes and prehypertension. However, generalizability is limited with the pre-experimental design, so this program should be further tested for its effectiveness with an experimental design in people with prediabetes and prehypertension.
Keywords: Counseling intervention, Health index, Prediabetes, Prehypertension