The Development of a Participatory Learning Model for Type 2 Diabetic Patients in a Diabetes School of Chamni Hospital Buriram province

Abstract

This action research aimed to develop a participatory learning model for type 2 diabetic patients at a diabetes school in Chamni Hospital, Buriram Province. There were two groups of participants: a total of 310 type 2 diabetic patients were selected by stratified random sampling for the quantitative portion of the research, while a purposively selected cadre of 18 participants was chosen for the in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.  The research was conducted between April and November 2024. Data were collected using questionnaires (Cronbrach's Alpha Coefficient=0.93) on personal behavior and health status, and in-depth interview and focus group guidelines. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and comparing mean differences using paired t-tests, while the qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis with a significance level at 0.05.

The results showed that previous educational approaches for patients with type 2 diabetes lacked opportunities for patient expression, behavior monitoring, and personalized care planning aligned with daily life contexts. It is therefore recommended to establish peer experience-sharing practices based on real-life situations and a follow-up system with community participation. To address these gaps, the participatory learning model for type 2 diabetic patients in the diabetes school was developed and consisted of 4 steps: 1) engagement in participatory activities, 2) participatory learning processes, 3) continuous follow-up and empowerment, and 4) evaluation and reflective learning. The Evaluation results showed that most of the participants had a moderate level of knowledge about the prevention of diabetes complications and diabetes remission (X =7.96, S.D.=1.28 and X=7.74, S.D.=1.36, respectively). A comparison of the participants’ pre and post participation in the developed participatory learning model mean scores found that the difference in their knowledge was significantly higher than pre-participation and was accompanied with a significant reduction in HbA1c levels (p-value<.001).