Abstract
BackgroundAlthough the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Oman is high and rising, information on how people were self-managing their disease has been lacking. The objective of this study was therefore to assess diabetes self-management and education (DSME) among people living with type 2 diabetes in Oman.MethodsA questionnaire survey was conducted in public primary health care centres in Muscat. Diabetes self-management and education was assessed by asking how patients recognized and responded to hypo- and hyperglycaemia, and if they had developed strategies to maintain stable blood glucose levels. Patients' demographic information, self-treatment behaviours, awareness of potential long-term complications, and attitudes concerning diabetes management were also recorded. Associations between these factors and diabetes self-management and education were analysed.ResultsIn total, 309 patients were surveyed. A quarter (26%, n = 83) were unaware how to recognize hypoglycaemia or respond to it (26%, n = 81). Around half (49%, n = 151), could not recognize hyperglycaemia and more than half could not respond to it (60%, n = 184). Twelve percent (n = 37) of the patients did not have any strategies to stabilize their blood glucose levels. Patients with formal education generally had more diabetes self-management and education than those without (p<0.001), as had patients with longer durations of diabetes (p<0.01). Self-monitoring of blood glucose was practiced by 38% (n = 117) of the patients, and insulin was used by 22% (n = 67), of which about one third independently adjusted dosages. Patients were most often aware of complications concerning loss of vision, renal failure and cardiac problems. Many patients desired further health education.ConclusionsMany patients displayed dangerous diabetes self-management and education knowledge gaps. The findings suggest a need for improving knowledge transfer to people living with diabetes in the Omani clinical setting.
Highlights
Oman is a Middle Eastern nation of about 3 million people and currently has one of the world’s highest diabetes prevelance
World Health Organization (WHO) data on morbidity and mortality due to unhealthy lifestyles shows a clear shift in disease burden from acute communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases, similar to what has already been observed in several developed countries [6,7]
The objective of this study was to assess diabetes self-management and education (DSME) among people living with type 2 diabetes in Oman
Summary
Oman is a Middle Eastern nation of about 3 million people and currently has one of the world’s highest diabetes prevelance. The country has experienced a rapid economic and social transformation since the 1970s, which has resulted in greatly improved living standards [1,2,3,4] These changes were noted by the United Nations Development Program, which recently deemed Oman the world’s most improved country in terms of human development of the past 40 years [5]. Omani lifestyles feature less physical activity and more unhealthy diets high in the consumption of fast food, refined sugar, and saturated fat. These lifestyle changes are contributing factors explaining why diabetes is the most prevalent non-communicable disease in Oman [8]. The objective of this study was to assess diabetes self-management and education (DSME) among people living with type 2 diabetes in Oman
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