The Effect of Motivational Interviewing on Glycemic Control Among Saudi Persons with Type 2 Diabetes: A Feasibility Study.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of integrating a motivational interviewing approach with a comprehensive diabetes care program in Saudi primary care clinics. Approximately 23.1% of the adult Saudi population is diabetic, yet only 22.5% of these diabetic individuals maintain adequate glycemic control as defined by Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels <7%. Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed pre- and post-evaluation methods to compare HbA1c levels among persons with uncontrolled diabetes before and after implementing a motivational interviewing (MI) and comprehensive care program. Adults with type 2 DM were included. The MI approach was used to educate and motivate the patients. Starting from November 2023, all included patients were followed up for six months with the assessment of the HbA1c, blood pressure, and body mass index at each visit. Furthermore, a multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine variables that predict good glycemic control. Results: Overall, 187 participants were included in the final analysis. The HbA1c was significantly reduced from 9.9% (baseline) to 8.9% (3 months), then 8.3% (6 months). A multivariate logistic regression showed that baseline HbA1c interpretation and baseline diastolic blood pressure were the only predictors of poor glycemic control. Conclusion: MI represents a valuable component of diabetes care, with the potential to improve clinical and psychological outcomes for patients. However, additional research is required to validate these findings.