effect of a structured nurse-led follow-up on self-care and metabolic indices in diabetes patients

Background: diabetes is a metabolic disorder that is associated with several complications. this study aimed to assess the effect of a structured nurse-led post-discharge follow-up plan on self-care behaviors, metabolic control indices, and adverse health outcomes in diabetics.methods: a total of 144 adults with diabetes were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. the intervention group received self-care education and scheduled follow-up with a nurse educator. data on self-care behaviors, glycosylated hemoglobin a1c (hba1c), fast blood sugar (fbs), total cholesterol (tc), and adverse health outcomes were collected at the baseline and after a 3-month intervention. outcome analyses were conducted based on the intention-to-treat principles. results: during the three-month project, the intervention group showed a significant increase in self-care behaviors (from 31.17±7.69 to 31.32±13.58, p<0.001), while the control group exhibited no significant change (from 31.17±7.69 to 31.32±13.58, p=0.907). after the intervention, the mean self-care behavior score was significantly higher in the intervention group (b=20.02; 95% confidence interval [ci], 14.49%, 25.56%; p<0.001). additionally, the mean hba1c level in the nurse-led follow-up group was 0.70 units lower than in the control group (95% ci, 0.15%, 1.26%; p<0.001). the odds of achieving a good fbs level were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (odds ratio [or]=7.79; 95% ci, 1.21%, 50.40%; p<0.001). furthermore, the mean tc level in the intervention group was 20.31 units lower than in the control group (95% ci, 11.56%, 29.04%; p<0.001).conclusion: a structured nurse-led post-discharge follow-up plan significantly improves self-care behaviors and metabolic control in patients with diabetes. implementing such interventions in routine diabetes care could enhance disease management and reduce the risk of complications.