title: Developing a culturally sensitive structured diabetes education programme for people living with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia
Creators: name: Alhumaidi, Bandar
Publisher: name: University of Glasgow
Year: 2022

description: Background - Effective self-management plays a role in improving the health and well-being of people living with type 2 diabetes and structured education is vital as a means of preparing people for a lifetime with the disease. However, in recognition of the fact that there is wide diversity in world populations, there is a need for cultural adaptation to ensure relevance in different populations. Aims - The aim of this research was to determine the requirements for developing a culturally sensitive structured diabetes education programme for people living with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia Methodology - A total of four individual studies were carried out to address the aims of the research. First, a systematic review of existing literature to summarise the current status and impact of theory-based, culturally adapted self-management education programmes on type 2 diabetes mellitus. This was followed up by two qualitative research studies involving semi-structured interviews with health care professionals involved in the provision of diabetes care and people living with type 2 diabetes respectively in Saudi Arabia. Finally, a secondary analysis of existing datasets from a hospital in Saudi Arabia highlights the diagnosis and care for people living with type 2 diabetes. Results - Type 2 diabetes self-management education programmes result in significant improvements in people well-being demonstrated by objective measures such as blood glucose and glycated haemoglobin levels. Education served to prepare individuals to embark on the life-long task of lifestyle improvement as a means of improving their glycaemic control and therefore reducing their risk of short-, medium- and long-term complications. Targeted programmes therefore facilitate the achievement of these goals. Culturally relevant self-management education programmes are best provided with dedicated professionals that are familiar with the target culture and who adopt a person-centred approach to the process. The interviews with health professionals and people living with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia demonstrated that while these participants recognised the benefits of self-management for people with type 2 diabetes, they emphasized the importance of tailoring the approach to the needs of people living with type 2 diabetes. Information should be delivered in the native language of the participants and also recognize and respect elements of culture such as religious beliefs, value systems and customs. Tailoring information and support in such a manner can produce positive effects on dietary and physical activity patterns as well as illness and health-related beliefs. This was of particular importance since many people living with type 2 diabetes felt that it was difficult to identify self-management measures that were suited to the Saudi Arabian context. Conclusion - Successful behaviour change in people living with type 2 diabetes is greatly facilitated by well-designed, self-management education programmes. The research demonstrated that there is a need for well-developed, structured self-management education programmes to improve the management of type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia. Many of the existing programmes do not demonstrate sensitivity to and recognition of cultural and religious nuances that could have an impact on adherence in the target population. The unique characteristics of Saudi society highlight the need for targeted culturally sensitive education programmes for people living with type 2 diabetes. This highlights the increased tendency to adhere to guidelines and measures that are in line with the social, cultural and religious beliefs of the targeted populations. This is of particular significance in view of the fact that culturally adapted type 2 diabetes self-management education programmes have been shown to be effective in improving short-, medium- and long-term outcomes in minority populations.