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. 2016 Jul 26:16:637.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3311-7.

Knowledge of complications of diabetes mellitus among patients visiting the diabetes clinic at Sampa Government Hospital, Ghana: a descriptive study

Yaa Obirikorang  1 , Christian Obirikorang  2 , Enoch Odame Anto  2   3 , Emmanuel Acheampong  4 , Emmanuella Nsenbah Batu  2 , Agyemang Duah Stella  1 , Omerige Constance  1 , Peter Kojo Brenya  2
Affiliations

Knowledge of complications of diabetes mellitus among patients visiting the diabetes clinic at Sampa Government Hospital, Ghana: a descriptive study

Yaa Obirikorang et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) appears to be a global epidemic and an increasingly major non-communicable disease threatening both affluent and non-affluent society. The study aimed to determine the knowledge of diabetic complications among diabetes mellitus clients visiting the Diabetic Clinical at Sampa Government Hospital, Ghana.

Method: This questionnaire-based descriptive study recruited a total 630 patients visiting the Diabetes Clinic at the Sampa Government Hospital. Structured questionnaire was used to obtain information such as socio-demographic and knowledge on complications of diabetes.

Results: Out of a total of 630 participants, 325 (51.5 %) knew diabetic foot as the most common complication followed by hypertension 223(35.4 %), neuropathy 184 (29.2 %), hypoactive sexual arousal 160(25.4 %), arousal disorder 135(21.5 %), eye diseases 112(17.7 %), heart disease 58(9.2 %), and renal disease 34(5.4 %). Comprehensive assessment of level of knowledge on the complications showed that majority 378(60.0 %) of T2D patients did not have knowledge on diabetes complications, 169(26.9 %) had inadequate knowledge on diabetics complication while 82(13.1 %) had adequate knowledge. The risk factors associated with the level of knowledge of diabetic complications were female gender adjusted odd ratio (AOR) =2.31 (1.56-3.41) married participants AOR = 3.37 (1.44-7.93), widowed AOR = 2.98 (1.10-8.08), basic level of education AOR =0.18 (0.082-0.50), Junior High School (JHS) and above of education level AOR = 0.035(0.017-0.75), 5-9 years of T2D duration AOR = 0.31(0.018-0.57), ≥10 years T2D duration AOR = 0.042 (0.02-0.10) and urban dwellers AOR = 0.36 (0.22-0.68) respectively.

Conclusion: Participants knew the individual complication of diabetic mellitus but lack an in-depth knowledge on the complications. Further expansion of diabetic educative programs like using mass media and involving national curriculum of education can improve self-regulatory awareness of diabetic complications which may reduce the morbidity and mortality of diabetic patients.

Keywords: Diabetic complication; Knowledge; Type 2 diabetics.

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Fig. 1
Overall knowledge score on complications of type 2 diabetes among diabetic patients
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