Gambaran Pengetahuan Masyarakat Tentang Diabetes Sebelum dan Sesudah Pemberian Edukasi Kesehatan di Desa Rejosari

Diabetes mellitus is a non-communicable disease whose number of cases continues to rise, particularly among the elderly, who are more vulnerable because of the decline in the body's metabolic function. For this reason, it is important for older adults to understand its risk factors, symptoms, and prevention. This community service activity, carried out through the Himapersa Go to Society 2026 program, aimed to increase the elderly's knowledge about diabetes mellitus prevention through health education in Rejosari Village, East Semarang District, Semarang City. The method used was health counseling with a One Group Pretest-Posttest design. The activity involved 40 participants, consisting of 36 elderly residents and 4 health cadres from Rejosari Village, Semarang City. It was carried out in three stages: a pre-test to measure initial knowledge, education accompanied by hands-on first aid training, and a post-test to measure the improvement in knowledge after the intervention. The results of the descriptive analysis showed a significant increase in participants knowledge. The average score rose from 64.5 before the counseling to 79.5 afterward, with an average improvement in understanding that fell into the moderate category. In addition, the health examinations showed that most participants had hypertension, while a smaller portion showed indications of high blood sugar levels or prediabetes. Based on these results, the Himapersa Go to Society 2026 activity proved effective in improving the elderly's understanding of diabetes mellitus prevention. It also served as a means of early detection of other health problems, such as hypertension. It is hoped that this education will encourage healthier lifestyle changes among the elderly in Rejosari Village. These findings highlight the importance of continuous health education and routine screening to support the prevention of non-communicable diseases in the community.