• Mrs. Maheswari. C
• Pritam Pravin Awasare
• Komal Santosh Ambhore
• Usha Rajebabu Bahirwal
• Sanket Babasaheb Bankar 6. Monika Raju Phule

Background: Diabetes Mellitus is one of the most serious and rapidly growing health problems worldwide. It is a chronic metabolic disease that affects millions of people, and its incidence is increasing at an alarming rate due to changes in lifestyle, diet, and stress. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 537 million adults aged between 20 and 79 years were living with diabetes in 2021, and this number is expected to rise to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045 if preventive measures are not taken. Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia due to defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Effective management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus requires proper glycemic control along with consistent self-care activities such as diet control, exercise, medication adherence, and blood glucose monitoring. Complementary therapies like okra (lady’s finger) extract are believed to have hypoglycemic properties and may support conventional treatment.in recent years, there has been growing interest in the use of natural herbs and traditional remedies for the management of diabetes. One such natural plant that has gained attention is Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), also commonly known as Lady’s Finger or Bhindi. Okra is a commonly available vegetable in India and is rich in nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Studies suggest that okra contains soluble fiber, flavonoids, and polyphenols, which help in slowing down glucose absorption and improving insulin sensitivity. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of okra exract on fasting blood glucose level and selected self care practices among patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods: A True-experimental research design was used for the the present study to assess the effectiveness of intervention. The study was carried out in a selected hospital located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. A total of 64 patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus were included in the study and they were selected using simple random sampling technique as experimental group (n=32) and control group (n=32) to ensure fair and unbiased selection. For data collection, a standardized diabetes self management questionnaire, summary of diabetes self care activities was used. And demographic variables (such as age,gender, etc.) was used. This helped in collecting detailed and structured information from the participants. Before conducting the main study, a pilot study was carried out. As part of the intervention, okra extract was given to the participants according to the research study. The effectiveness of okra extract was assessed both before (pre-test) and after (post- test). Pre-test and Post-test scores were compared to evaluate effectiveness. Results: The study included 64 participants, with 32 in the experimental group and 32 in the control group. Before the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in fasting blood sugar level (169.80 ± 10.39 mg/dL vs. 168.00 ± 9.90 mg/dL; p = 0.592), DSMQ score (p = 0.736), or SDSCA score (p = 0.648), indicating baseline homogeneity. Following the intervention, the experimental group showed a significant reduction in fasting blood sugar level (155.30 ± 10.40 mg/dL) compared with the control group (164.20 ± 10.25 mg/dL) (t = 7.90, p = 0.002). Similarly, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher diabetes self-management (DSMQ: 73.56 ± 7.82 vs. 61.47 ± 8.61; t = 5.87, p < 0.001) and self-care practices (SDSCA: 71.92 ± 8.14 vs. 61.35 ± 8.25; t = 5.62, p < 0.001) than the control group. These findings indicate that okra extract was effective in improving glycemic control, diabetes self-management, and self-care practices among patients with diabetes mellitus. Conclusion: The study concluded that okra extract was effective in significantly reducing fasting blood sugar levels and improving diabetes self-management and selected self-care practices among patients with Diabetes Mellitus. The intervention demonstrated better glycemic control in the experimental group compared to the control group. These findings suggest that okra extract is a safe, economical, and easily available complementary therapy and may be recommended as a supportive nursing intervention alongside routine medical treatment to promote effective diabetes management and improve quality of life.

Diabetes Mellitus, Okra Extract, Fasting Blood Sugar level, glycemic control, type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, complementary therapy, nursing intervention.

"Experimental Study To Assess The Effectiveness Of Okra Extract On Fasting Blood Sugar level and Selected Self-Care Practices Among Patients With Diabetes Mellitus In Selected Hospital Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 9, page no.c845-c852, September-2026, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2609294.pdf

"Experimental Study To Assess The Effectiveness Of Okra Extract On Fasting Blood Sugar level and Selected Self-Care Practices Among Patients With Diabetes Mellitus In Selected Hospital Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 9, page no. ppc845-c852, September-2026, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2609294.pdf