Published Paper Details:

Background: Globally, Type-II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a significant public health concern, especially in rural regions with low healthcare access and awareness. Due to a lack of awareness about preventative measures, rural populations in India are more vulnerable to the rising prevalence of T2DM. The purpose of this study is to assess how well an information, education, and communication (IEC) package can increase rural people' awareness of T2DM prevention in Kathua, Jammu, and Kashmir. Methods: For this investigation, a pre-experimental, one-group pre-test-post-test design was used. 400 adults in rural areas were chosen by non-probability convenience sampling. A systematic knowledge questionnaire that was given both before and after the IEC intervention was used to gather data. Pre-test and post-test knowledge scores were compared in order to evaluate the intervention's efficacy. Results: The pre-test results showed that 67.25% of participants had inadequate knowledge regarding T2DM prevention. After the IEC intervention, 61.5% of participants demonstrated adequate knowledge, while only 6.25% had inadequate knowledge. A significant improvement in knowledge was observed, with a p-value of < 0.0001, indicating the effectiveness of the IEC package in enhancing participants' understanding of T2DM prevention. Conclusion: The IEC package significantly improved knowledge about T2DM prevention among rural adults in Kathua. This study suggests that IEC-based interventions are effective tools for raising awareness and promoting preventive measures in rural communities, which could contribute to reducing the burden of T2DM.