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Background & Aim: Diabetes is the most common metabolic disease that needs self-management. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of loss- and gain-framed messages on knowledge, self-efficacy and self-management in diabetic patients.
Methods & Materials: In this randomized clinical trial (IRCT2016122931653N1), 112 patients with type 2 diabetes referred to the 17th Shahrivar Diabetes clinic in Borazjan in 2017, were divided into three groups including loss-framed message, gain-framed message, and control. The data were collected by questionnaires in three steps; before, one week and three months after intervention. Chi-square test, one way analysis of variance and repeated measures analysis of variance were used to analyze the data on the SPSS software version 22.
Results: Before the intervention, mean scores for knowledge, self-efficacy and self-management in loss-framed messages group and gain-framed messages group were lower than control. One week and three months after the intervention, mean scores for knowledge, self-efficacy and self-management in both the loss-framed messages and gain-framed messages groups showed a significant increase compared to the control group (P<0.001). One week after the education, self-management score in the gain-framed messages group was 102.26±11.20, in the loss-framed messages group was 111.53±13.73 and in the control was 88.75±11.41. Three months after the education, self-management score in the mentioned groups were 105.58±11.80, 108.72±15.39 and 88.49±13.51, respectively.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that designing and implementing educational programs based on loss-framed messages and especially gain-framed messages can improve knowledge, self-efficacy and self-management behavior in diabetic patients.