Effect of Nurse-led Education on Health-related Quality of Life among Diabetes Mellitus Patients at Secondary Healthcare Facilities in Kaduna State, Nigeria
Ali Babangida *
Department of Public and Community Health, College of Public and Community Health, Novena University, Ogume, Nigeria.
Ezekiel Uba Nwose
Department of Public and Community Health, College of Public and Community Health, Novena University, Ogume, Nigeria.
Michael. O. Otutu
Department of Public and Community Health, College of Public and Community Health, Novena University, Ogume, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: This study evaluated the impact of nurse-led education on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) attending secondary healthcare facilities in Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Objective: The aim was to determine changes in HRQoL across physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains following a structured nurse-led educational intervention.
Methods: A quasi-experimental pre–post design was used, involving 332 adults with T2DM recruited from secondary healthcare facilities in Kaduna South and Chikun Local Government Areas. Participants attended three weekly nurse-led education sessions covering self-management, coping strategies, lifestyle modification, and medication adherence. HRQoL was assessed at baseline and four weeks post-intervention using the WHOQOL-BREF. Paired t-tests compared mean scores, with effect sizes calculated using Cohen’s d.
Results: Significant improvements were observed in all HRQoL domains. Physical health scores increased from 54.2 to 61.0 (d=0.68, p<0.001) and psychological well-being from 51.5 to 57.4 (d=0.61, p<0.001). Social relationships (56.3 to 59.5; d=0.29, p<0.001) and environmental factors (58.9 to 61.0; d=0.23, p<0.001) also improved, though with smaller effect sizes. Subdomain analysis showed gains in daily activities, energy, mobility, positive feelings, and self-esteem.
Conclusion: Nurse-led education produced meaningful improvements in physical and psychological health, with additional benefits in social and environmental well-being. Integrating structured nurse-led education into routine diabetes care could enhance self-management and overall quality of life for T2DM patients in similar resource-constrained settings.
Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, nurse-led education, health-related quality of life, self-management, Nigeria