Community-Based School for the Control and Remission of Type 2 Diabetes

Carlos Regino Alejandro Polanco; María Alejandra Rivadeneira Lucas; Cindy Giselle Díaz Contino; María Verónica Vega Roldan; Glen Neptalí Guerrero Arias; Frank Stalin Vinces Vinueza

doi:10.59653/jhsmt.v4i01.2208

Authors

Carlos Regino Alejandro Polanco Ministerio de Salud Pública, Ecuador
María Alejandra Rivadeneira Lucas Ministerio de Salud Pública, Ecuador
Cindy Giselle Díaz Contino Universidad San Gregorio de Portoviejo, Ecuador
María Verónica Vega Roldan Ministerio de Salud Pública, Ecuador
Glen Neptalí Guerrero Arias Ministerio de Salud Pública, Ecuador
Frank Stalin Vinces Vinueza Universidad San Gregorio de Portoviejo, Ecuador

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59653/jhsmt.v4i01.2208

Keywords:

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, remission, community health education

Abstract

Recent research suggests that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is potentially reversible, positioning non-pharmacological interventions as a central component of clinical treatment. Accordingly, the present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based school as an educational and community intervention strategy to achieve remission or metabolic control in patients with T2DM in a rural setting in Ecuador. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study without a control group was conducted with a sample of 24 patients with T2DM from a rural community in Manabí, Ecuador, who participated for 11 months in a community-based school structured around educational sessions and practical activities. Variables such as T2DM remission, metabolic control, and adherence to the program were assessed. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the support of the Statistics Stats software. At the end of the intervention, 37.5% of participants achieved clinical remission of T2DM without the use of medication, and 58.33% reached metabolic control with treatment. Clinical complications persisted in 25.0% of the cases (95% CI: 12.0%–44.9%). These results suggest that a culturally adapted, comprehensive educational approach can effectively reverse or manage type 2 diabetes and does not depend on the participant’s formal educational level to be effective.

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