Abstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common non-communicable diseases globally, and its related complications result in increasing disability, reduced life expectancy and enormous health costs. Diabetes management education is a critical element of care for all people with diabetes and it is necessary to improve patient outcomes through traditional diabetes patient education strategy and/or through internet based education that has the opportunity to expand the to the massive individuals with diabetes Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of Web-Based education versus counseling on diabetic patients' outcomes including patients' diabetic knowledge, level of self-efficacy, self-care activities and blood glucose level. The design of this study was a quasi-experimental research design.. Setting: The study was conducted at the outpatient clinic for diabetes in Ain Shams University hospitals, Cairo, Egypt. The Subjects: Purposive sample of patients were included in the study. Patients for this study were adult and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Patients divided randomly into two equal groups (45 patients each) to constitute the web-based group and counseling group. Instruments: Patient's assessment and clinical data sheet, Diabetes Management Self-efficacy Sale (DMSES), diabetic patients' knowledge questionnaire sheet and a Summary of Diabetes Self -Care Activities Scale (SDSCA) were used. Results: The majority of counseling and web-based group had unsatisfactory knowledge, low level of self efficacy, inadequate self care activities and abnormal glucose level with no statistically significant difference between them pre-intervention. While, post-intervention, The majority of counseling and web-based group had satisfactory knowledge, high level of self efficacy, adequate self care activities and normal glucose level with. Alao, Counseling group had more satisfactory knowledge, high level of self efficacy, adequate self care activities and normal blood glucose level than web-based group with no statistically significant difference in all items except for self care activities Conclusion: It was concluded that, both of counseling and web-based diabetic patients' education improve patient outcome however counseling was more effective than web-based education strategy with no statistically significant difference between them in all items except for self care activities. This study recommended further research into the full use of the available technology is imperative for improving the quality of nursing intervention. [Fathia A. Mersal; Naglaa E. Mahday and Nahed A. Mersal. Efficiency of Web-Based Education versus Counseling on Diabetic Patients' Outcomes. Life Sci J 2012; 9(3):912-926]. (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 131