Abstract
Introduction: Improving health literacy among caregivers of elderly people with type 2 diabetes mellitus is of great importance. The present study aimed to determine the effects of a tele-nursing educational support program based on the COPE care model on the health literacy level of family caregivers of elderly people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Methods: In this clinical trial, a total of 90 family caregivers of elderly people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Shahrekord city in 2024-2025 were included in the sampling after obtaining informed consent and then randomly divided into two intervention (45 people) and control groups (45 people). Caregivers in the intervention group participated in 6 training sessions based on the COPE model. Additionally, follow-ups were conducted by the researcher through WhatsApp groups for one month. The health literacy level of the samples was examined using the TOFLA Health Literacy Questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS software at a significance level of 0.05.
Results: The mean health literacy scores of caregivers in the intervention and control groups before the study were 43.72 ± 4.41 and 42.13 ± 4.35, respectively, which were not significantly different. However, the mean health literacy scores in the intervention and control groups 3 months after the intervention were 53.86 ± 5.76 and 42.19 ± 4.38, respectively, which were significantly different (P ≤ 0.001).
Conclusion: It is recommended that educational interventions based on the COPE model be implemented to improve the level of health literacy among caregivers of elderly people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.