Abstract

Diabetes of all types can lead to complications and can increase the overall risk of dying prematurely, which include heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, leg amputation, vision loss and nerve damage. A randomized controlled pilot study was carried out for a period of 6 months to assess the impact of pharmacist intervention on blood glucose levels, quality of life, knowledge, attitude and practice in diabetic patients. The diabetic patients were randomized into control and intervention groups, using simple randomization techniques based on age; both the groups were interviewed using (1) knowledge, attitude and practices and (2) WHOQOL-BREF questionnaires. Both the groups were screened for blood glucose levels at baseline and each follow-up. Only the intervention group was given counselling during the study period. The effect of pharmacist intervention on quality of life and knowledge, attitude and practices among control and intervention were statistically analysed by paired t-test using SPSS version 16. Out of the 60 patients, 24 (40%) were males and 36 (60%) were females. In our study, the quality of life score for each domain of both intervention and control groups was found to be non-significant at baseline and for the intervention group, a highly significant improvement (P<0.001) was observed for all domains in the final follow-up. Knowledge, attitude and practice score of intervention group also showed a significant improvement (P<0.001) from baseline to final follow up. In this study, intervention group showed significant (P<0.001) mean reduction of blood glucose levels from baseline 166.1±66.60 to final follow-up 118.27±11.70. The results showed that significant reduction in blood glucose levels, enhancement in the quality of life and knowledge of patients in intervention group after pharmacist mediated counselling.