A Self Care Management Awareness Study among Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Rural Nepal

Abstract

Diabetes has emerged as one of the world’s biggest health problem. Diabetes is traditionally known as a ‘‘silent disease,’’ exhibiting no symptoms until progression to target organ damage. Diabetes self-care is suboptimal across a continuum from home based activities example as healthy eating, exercise and medication adherence to use of preventive care. There is a need for assessment of patient’s knowledge regarding diabetes, its complications and self care which has a significant benefit with regard to patient’s compliance to the treatment and in decreasing complications associated with disease and its consequences. The study was conductedto know self care management of diabetes mellitus among diabetic patients from a cohort of 192 diabetic patients picked up by convenience sampling technique. Data were collected, by administering a structured validated questionnaire, during March 2014 during community diagnosis program. Out of 192 patients (aged ≥ 18 years), mean score of knowledge of self care was 5.406 ± 1.709. Among them, 61 (31.77%) had poor knowledge, 110 (57.29%) had average score and 21(10.93%) had good knowledge of diabetes mellitus. Most of diabetic patients knew that self care can decrease the complications. The most of them practiced self care (hand and foot care, physical activity, general health check up) but were irregular in day to day practices. More than two third subjects had uncontrolled blood sugar level.