The Effectiveness of Ramadan Focused Education on Awareness and Glycemic Control of Diabetic Muslims (Type 2 Diabetes) During Ramadan Fasting

ABSTRACT

The majority of Muslim diabetic patients are unaware of complications during fasting, therefore diabetic patients who want to fast need a pre–Ramadan assessment and education to increase their awareness of the risks of fasting. This study examined the effectiveness of Ramadan focused education aimed at increasingself-awareness and glycemic control in Muslims with type 2 diabetes who fast during Ramadan. A pre and post experiment with a randomized controlled trail was being conducted among 212 patients at Primary Care Units of Songkhla. To be eligible, patient participants must be fasting diabetic patients during Ramadan.The study is a two-centre randomized wait-list controlled trial. Subjects were 108 patients who were allocated to the intervention group (educated about meal planning, physical activity, medications, recognizing and managing complications before Ramadan) and 104 patients were in the control group or wait list control (The control group received conventional group counseling).The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANCOVA, and t- test. After Ramadan, we observed no difference in FBS and HbA1c between intervention and control patients. On comparing the self-awareness score of realization of the diabetic patients between the intervention and the control groups after adjusting for baseline [adjusted difference1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI). 29, 1.71; P=0.005], the difference statistically significant (p< 0.005). The intervention significantly increased self-awareness. The role of structured education for patients is well established in the management of diabetes. This should be extended to Ramadan-focused diabetes education and drug modification program on awareness of self-care and glycemic control in Muslims with type 2 diabetes who fast during Ramadan in Thailand.