Diabetics and their Diseases, What do they know? Assessing Knowledge Level among Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Background: Limb loss is one of the most devastating complications of Diabetes mellitus. Prevention is possible only with a well educated patient. We set out to assess patient education by physicians and foot care awareness in patients attending our DHQ Hospital.

Study Design: Descriptive study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at the DHQ Hospital, Mirpur, Azad Kashmir from 01.12.2012 to 30.03.2013.

Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive study involving 311 patients attending DHQ Hospital, Mirpur, Azad Kashmir. The patients were chosen by convenience sampling.  The patients could be either type 1 or type 2 diabetics. A total of 18 multiple-choice questions were used. Patients less than 40 years were excluded from
the study.

Results: 314 patients were enrolled in the study.   37.62% of patients were aged 40 to 50 years. Females comprised 52.41 % of the patients. 49.52% of patients were illiterate. About a third of patients (31.51%) visited their doctor weekly or fortnightly.  A size-able number of patients (39.55%) had never or rarely been guided about life style changes by their doctors.  68.17% of patients had never or rarely been guided about diabetic complications. Only 23.15 % patients were aware about foot care. Pearson Chi-Square values were highly significant P<0.0001 for education and foot care awareness.

Conclusion: Patient education by physicians is almost non-existent in Pakistan and needs to be improved. Improving literacy will improve patient foot care awareness.