Using the Health Belief Model to Explain the Experience of Diabetic Patients About Referring to Rural Health Centers

Background: Diabetes is a chronic disease that leads to numerous complications. To prevent these complications, regular and timely visits of diabetic patients to receive health care services are necessary. Objectives: This study aimed to understand the experience of diabetic patients visiting rural health in Ahvaz. Methods: This qualitative study is a directed content analysis research that was conducted for six months in 2016 - 2017 in rural health centers in Ahvaz. A semi-structured verbal interview was conducted with 14 diabetic patients, 6 health care workers (behvarz), 3 physicians, and 3 family members of patients. The collected data was analyzed by MAXQDA 12 software with the content analysis method. Results: Data analysis resulted in the extraction of 285 initial codes that were categorized into 5 categories of health belief models (perceived threats, perceived benefits, perceived berries, guide to action, and self-efficacy). Conclusions: Findings of this study provide in-depth understanding o factors affecting rural health centers appointments among patients with type 2 diabetes and also can use by decision-makers to choose the most suitable methods and strategies to change these factors and increase the number of regular visits by patients to the health centers to prevent probable complications.