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. 2024 Mar;24(1):171-186.
doi: 10.4314/ahs.v24i1.22.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards glycemic control among persons with diabetes mellitus at two tertiary hospitals in Uganda

Daphine Ninsiima  1 , Timothy Lwanga  1 , Gerald Kevin Oluka  1 , Emmanuel Oguti Okodoi  1 , William Aine  1 , Henry Lwibasira  1 , Brian Ndibarema  1 , Hama Abaho  1 , Ronald Olum  2 , Irene Andia-Biraro  1 , Felix Bongomin  3
Affiliations

Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards glycemic control among persons with diabetes mellitus at two tertiary hospitals in Uganda

Daphine Ninsiima et al. Afr Health Sci. 2024 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Intensive glycaemic control reduces the risk of microvascular complications in persons with diabetes mellitus (DM). Owing to limited data available, we aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) toward glycaemic control among Ugandans with DM at two large tertiary healthcare facilities.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among persons with DM attending outpatient clinics at Kiruddu National Referral Hospital (KNRH) and Mulago National Specialized Hospital (MNSH) between March and April 2022. Eligible participants provided written informed consent and were recruited through a systematic sampling technique and relevant data was collected using a pretested, interviewer-administered, semi-structured questionnaire.

Results: Of the 452 participants, 318 (70.4%) were females. The median age was 52 years (IQR: 45-60 years), with more than two-thirds diagnosed with DM at ≥36 years (69.8%, n=310). Overall, 274 participants (60.6%) had good knowledge on glycemic control. At multivariable logistic regression analysis, good knowledge about glycaemic control was significantly associated with having received training on glycaemic control (aOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.4 - 3.7, p=0.002), level of education: diploma (aOR: 4.3, 95% CI: 1.1 - 17.8, p=0.042), degree aOR: 4.9, 95% CI: 1.0 - 23.1, p=0.046) compared to informal education, and nearest distance from the health facility (aOR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.0 - 9.6, p=0.047).

Conclusions: More than half of the patients had good knowledge about glycaemic control and this was associated with level of education, distance from the health facility and having received training. Further studies assessing the correlations between actual level of glycaemic control and patient related KAPs are recommended.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; HbA1C; KAPs; glycemic control.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no completing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Oral antihyperglycemic use among the study participants (n=240)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Complications reported in the study participants
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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