Social Return of Health Initiatives in Non-Governmental Organizations: Buraydah Diabetes Charity Case Study

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This study aimed to identify the social returns (knowledge and information, attitudes, and behaviors) associated with the programs and initiatives of the Charitable Association for Diabetes in Buraidah, as well as the challenges that hinder the achievement of these returns to the greatest possible extent and to identify proposed measures to overcome these challenges. The study addressed several research questions concerning the social returns of the Association’s programs and initiatives in terms of knowledge and information, attitudes, and behaviors; the challenges facing the Association in achieving its in-tended social returns; and the proposals put forward by beneficiaries and Association officials to overcome these challenges. The study adopted an ex-post evaluation approach and a social survey method using an available sample of beneficiaries and officials. The final sample consisted of 110 beneficiaries and 28 officials. Data were collected using two scales developed by the researcher, one for beneficiaries and the other for officials. The findings revealed that the most prominent social returns included increased awareness of the importance of physical activity, a greater sense of health-related optimism, and in-creased attention to the symptoms and effects of diabetes. The main challenges included a shortage of qualified personnel capable of developing the Association’s role, negative community experiences with some related associations, and weak cooperation and coordination among relevant associations. From the beneficiaries’ perspective, the most important proposals included greater attention to children with diabetes, the provision of social workers and psychological specialists, and in-creased care for patients with diabetic foot complications. From the officials’ perspective, the key proposals included imple-menting beneficiary satisfaction assessment measures, supporting healthcare services for the most disadvantaged groups, establishing partnerships with relevant associations, and engaging more actively with community suggestions in general and beneficiaries’ recommendations in particular to improve the intended