What Is the Impact of a Context-Specific Training Program for Home-Based Carers? An Evaluation Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Community Health
• Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs)

Background:

• Home-based carers (HBCs) in South Africa are vital for managing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes mellitus (DM).
• Inadequate knowledge among HBCs impacts their effectiveness in providing health information and dietary advice to people with diabetes (PWD).
• A need exists for specialized training to equip HBCs with essential diabetes care knowledge and skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a training program designed to enhance the capacity of HBCs in managing diabetes care.
• To assess the impact of the training on HBCs' knowledge and perceived practice related to diabetes care in Ga-Dikgale village.

Main Methods:

• A two-day training program was delivered to 55 home-based carers in Ga-Dikgale village, South Africa.
• Knowledge improvement was assessed using pre- and post-training questionnaires administered to 45 HBCs.
• Training satisfaction and perceived impact were evaluated through qualitative and quantitative methods, including surveys and group discussions.

Main Results:

• Pre-training, 72% of HBCs demonstrated poor diabetes knowledge; post-training, this figure dropped to 9%.
• Significant improvement in knowledge scores was observed: pre-test mean (3.31) vs. post-test mean (6.00) (p < 0.000).
• Qualitative analysis revealed themes of training achievements, challenges in diabetes and diet management, and suggestions for future training.

Conclusions:

• Context-specific training effectively increased diabetes knowledge among home-based carers.
• The findings underscore the critical role of targeted training in improving HBCs' competence in caring for people with diabetes.
• Sustained knowledge enhancement is crucial for achieving significant health benefits for people with diabetes.