Knowledge of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus about their condition - a descriptive analysis

Abstract

Patients’ knowledge about diabetes is a vital aspect of diabetes self-management. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to assess the knowledge of diabetes among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus using self-administered questionnaires. Patients’ educational status, their awareness on symptoms of dysglycaemia and complications of diabetes as well as their knowledge on preventive strategies of diabetic complications were assessed. The results revealed that 70.6% of the 279 participants had a good or a very good overall knowledge about their condition and the complications associated with diabetes. However, significant gaps in knowledge were seen in the patients’ awareness of hypoglycaemic symptoms and symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. Furthermore, patients with a poor education and patients with a low socioeconomic status were found to have a poorer knowledge of diabetes.

Keywords

• type 2 diabetes mellitus, diabetes, self-management, hypoglycaemic symptoms