The Effect of Flipped Learning Method on Self-care of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Background: One of the reasons for the lack of success and desired treatment results in diabetic patients is their lack of participation in treatment. Diabetes self-care education is a key factor in the prevention and treatment of diabetes, which is effective in improving the patient’s quality of life (QoL) and cost reduction. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of the flipped learning method on the self-care of patients with type-2 diabetes referred to the Diabetes Clinic of Bu-Ali Hospital in Zahedan. Methods: A semi-experimental study was conducted on 114 diabetic patients. The participants were randomly divided into intervention and control groups, and a pre-test was administered. The Self-care of Diabetes Index (SCODI), 40 items, was completed before and after the intervention by the research samples. The flipped learning program was conducted as an intervention in five sessions for patients in the intervention group, and a post-test was administered two months after the completion of the educational intervention. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS 26. The significance level was considered less than 0.05. Results: Two months after the flipped learning intervention, the findings showed more positive changes in the flipped learning method in increasing the patients’ self-care in the intervention group (P > 0.001). The mean score of self-care and its variations mean was significantly higher in the intervention group in the post-test than in the control group (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Implementing flipped learning positively affects increasing self-care in diabetic patients. It seems that the implementation of such programs can play an effective role in the treatment and prevention of type-2 diabetes complications.