• Hana R Al-Bannay, Lyn E Jongbloed, Tal Jarus, Sami S Alabdulwahab, Tawfik A Khoja, and Elizabeth Dean.
• Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. E-mail. hana.albannay@gmail.com.
• Saudi Med J. 2015 Jul 1; 36 (7): 869873869-73.

ObjectiveTo explore the outcomes of a pilot intervention of a type 2 diabetes (T2D) education program, based on international standards, and adapted to the cultural and religious contexts of Saudi women.MethodsThis study is an experiment of a pilot intervention carried out between August 2011 and January 2012 at the primary health clinics in Dammam. Women at risk of or diagnosed with T2D (N=35 including dropouts) were assigned to one of 2 groups; an intervention group participated in a pilot intervention of T2D education program, based on international standards and tailored to their cultural and religious contexts; and a usual care group received the usual care for diabetes in Saudi Arabia. Outcomes included blood glucose, body composition, 6-minute walk distance, life satisfaction, quality of life, and diabetes knowledge. The intervention group participated in a focus group of their program experience. Data analysis was based on mixed methods.ResultsBased on 95% confidence interval comparisons, improvements were noted in blood sugar, 6-minute walk distance, quality of life, and diabetes knowledge in participants of the intervention group. They also reported improvements in lifestyle-related health behaviors after the education program.ConclusionSaudi women may benefit from a T2D education program based on international standards and adapted to their cultural and religious contexts.

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