Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity (Sep 2019)
Does a diabetic retinopathy educational program raise awareness among elderly diabetic patients?
Abstract
Fatma R Khalaf,1 Heba M Fahmy,2 Ahmed K Ibrahim,3 Ghada A Mohamed,4 Manal El Sayed Ez Eldeen,4 Azza Elkady,5 Helal F Hetta6,7 1Department of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 2Department of Gerontological Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 3Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 4Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 5Sohag University Medical Administration, Sohag, Egypt; 6Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 7Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USACorrespondence: Helal F HettaDepartment of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, 231 Albert B. Sabin Way, PO Box 670595, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0595, USAEmail [email protected] and aim: Diabetic retinopathy is a serious and common complication of diabetes that causes irreversible blindness. The aim of the present study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding diabetic retinopathy among patients attending a diabetic clinic and identify the effect of an educational program about diabetic retinopathy.Patients and methods: Two hundred diabetic patients were recruited from the outpatient’s diabetic clinic, Assiut University hospitals, Egypt. Quasi-experimental (pretest-posttest) research design was applied using a structured interview questionnaire; including socio-demographic data, assessment of the patients’ knowledge, attitude, and practices toward diabetic retinopathy.Results: The mean score of knowledge and attitude showed significant improvement (5.3 and 15.1, respectively in pretest vs 16.7 and 16.8, respectively in posttest) among the diabetic patients (p<0.001). From multivariate linear regression model; the predictors for knowledge score were educational level, family history of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy and hypertension. Likewise, attitude score predictors were age, residence, and smoking. Predictors for practice score were hypertension, blood sugar level, and weight.Conclusion: There was a statistically significant relationship between educational level and mean knowledge score. The diabetic education program significantly helped to improve awareness of patients in relation to diabetic retinopathy.Keywords: diabetic retinopathy, knowledge, attitude, practices, educational program
