The college of Nursing at the University of Baghdad successfully defended a master’s thesis entitled: “The effectiveness of education based on the health beliefs model on dietary adherence in individuals with type 2 diabetes.” The thesis was submitted by graduate student Haider Nemat Amin, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Wissam Jabbar Qasim in the college’s Great Hall.
The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally adapted health belief model-based educational intervention to improve dietary adherence in Iraqi adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The study was designed as a rigorous randomized controlled trial to ensure the accuracy of the results.
The results showed significant improvement in the study group, with participants’ perception of the severity of the disease and the benefits of dietary management increasing, while their barriers decreased significantly. Their self-confidence and ability to respond to action cues also increased. Importantly, these positive changes persisted for a full month after the study ended.
The study recommends incorporating diabetes education programs based on the health belief model into national healthcare guidelines. It also emphasizes the need to move from methods based solely on theoretical knowledge to comprehensive interventions that address all aspects of health beliefs.
This study is an important step towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 3 “Good Health and Wellbeing”, by providing innovative and effective solutions to improve individual and community health, contributing to building a more informed society capable of managing chronic diseases.
