Diabetes Mellitus: Assessment of Knowledge about Disease Before and after Implementing an Education Program

Abstract

Background: Provision of diabetes knowledge and awareness helps the diabetic patients take a better self-care, manage their disease well and identify symptoms of and prevent chronic complications. The purpose of this comparative study was to evaluate the knowledge that diabetic patients had about their disease before and after diabetes knowledge increasing sessions. Methods: We enrolled 166 patients of either gender and age 31-70 years- who attended diabetes OPD at a tertiary care hospital for having DM for 2 years or more. Only consent providing patients were enrolled. Using visual aid and published material education sessions were delivered. A 40 items (9 sub-sections) questionnaire was used to pre and post sessions knowledge. Results: The analysis of pre-session and post-session was tested using student’s t-test which revealed statistically very significant increase in all sub-sections of knowledge. The mean ± SD age was 51.09 ± 8.16 years. The patients’ knowledge regarding their disease increased significantly (p<0.05); especially considering the general topics concerning concept of the disease, physiopathology and treatment, physical activity and nutrition. The increase in knowledge after imparting the education/ awareness sessions ranged from 36% (Eating sub-section) to 114% (Special situations sub-section) of overall knowledge. Total mean score of knowledge increased from pre-session score 15.80 ± 3.387 to post-session score 28.03 ± 5.817 (p value 0.00059). Conclusion: Young age, male and upper socioeconomic status patients had more increase in mean scores.