Effect of Community-Based Health Education Program on Knowledge and Perception of Physical Activities among Pre-Diabetic Older Adults in Selected LGAs in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Abstract:

Background: Physical activity is an established strategy for Diabetes prevention. The incidence of diabetes is inversely proportional to participation in physical activity. An increase in elderly population and shifts in lifestyle have led to a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus among older adults. One of the most important aspects of physical fitness is its relationship with health, and in this context it can be understood as a demonstration of skills that are associated with a lower risk of prematurely developing Type 2 diabetes diseases. Therefore, this study assessed the Effect of community-based health education program on knowledge and perception of physical activities among pre-diabetic older adults in selected local governments in Ogun State Nigeria. Methodology: The study employed a quasi-experimental design. A sample size of 30 older adults for each group was derived using the Power formula. Two Local Government Areas were randomly selected in Ogun State. Abeokuta was the Experimental group (EG) and Ikenne was the Control group (CG). A structured validated questionnaire with Cronbach’s alpha reliability index ranging from 0.7 to 0.8 was used to collect data. Data was collected at baseline, immediate post-intervention and six weeks follow-up. Data was analysed using descriptive, and inferential statistics at 5% level of significance. Results: Findings showed that at baseline, the knowledge scores indicated a generally low level of awareness about physical activity. The experimental group had a mean knowledge score of 8.89±4.02, while the control group had a significantly lower mean score of 6.07±3.37 on a maximum scale of 13. This difference was statistically significant (t55=5.94, p=0.000), suggesting that the experimental group had a better baseline knowledge level compared to the control group. In terms of perception, the perceived benefits of physical activity were slightly higher in the experimental group (9.62±0.68) compared to the control group (9.21±0.98), Furthermore, there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the mean scores of knowledge between baseline for EG (8.89 ± 4.01) and 12th week follow-up (11.96 ± 1.02). Conclusion: The implementation of an educational intervention program has the potential to increase the knowledge and perception towards physical activities among older adults due to the intervention program. As a consequence, the educational intervention program had a significant impact on the level of knowledge and perception towards physical activities with a very large margin.