Baseline disease knowledge assessment in patients with type 2 diabetes in a rural area of northwest of Pakistan

(1) To assess baseline disease related knowledge in patients with type 2 diabetes about their disease, its risk factors, signs/symptoms, related complications and suitable diet and (2) Is there an association between gender, duration of disease & age at diagnosis of diabetes and the above dependent variables. A 20-item interview-based structured knowledge questionnaire was used to collect information. A total of 82, diabetic patients, mean age 55.2 (11.4 S.D.) years, ranging from 35-80 years, were interviewed. Statistically significant association was found between age at diagnosis and better understanding of risk factors, (OR = 1.20, P = 0.012 with 95% CI 0.85 - 0.98). Statistically significant association was found between gender and better understanding of word "diabetes" or "sugar" OR = 1.15, P = 0.051 with 95% Confidence interval 0.96-1.29). Statistically significant associations were found between gender and patients' better understanding of disease signs/symptoms (OR = 1.35, P = 0.005 with 95% CI 0.40-0.56). No significant associations were found between gender, duration of diabetes, age at diagnosis and patients' better understanding of disease related complications and suitable diet in diabetes. Duration of diabetes was not statistically associated with any of the dependent variables. Priority needs to be given by WHO education programmes for the development of diabetes education program in rural areas to give patients a better knowledge of their disease, to prevent premature morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes.