Effects of Self-care Education on Perceived Stress in Women with Gestational Diabetes under Insulin Treatment

Background: Gestational diabetes (GA) is a common complication, associated with adverse prenatal outcomes and perceived stress. The effects of education on perceived stress have been widely investigated, whereas the role of self-care in GA has been less noted. Aim: to determine the effects of self-care education on perceived stress in women with GA under insulin treatment. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 60women with GA under insulin treatment (at 24-30 weeks of gestation), referring to the diabetes clinic of Mashhad Omolbanin Hospital, were divided into intervention and control groups in 2014. Self-care education included four one-hour sessions (one-week intervals) in groups consisting of 6-8 members. The researcher-made self-care questionnaire and Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale were completed before and four weeks after the intervention. Independent t-test, Mann-Whitney and covariance analysis were performed, using SPSS version 16. Results: The mean age of the participants was 32.4±0.5 years in the intervention group and 31.4±4.8 years in the control group. Before the intervention, the perceived stress score in the intervention group (27.6±8.0) was not significantly different from that of the control group (27.5±6.8) (P=0.74). However, after the intervention, the scores significantly reduced in the intervention group (23.4±8.3), compared to the control group (28.1±7.5) (P