A Descriptive Study To Assess The Knowledge of Diabetes Patients Regarding Diabetes Mellitus on Selected Hospitals, Hoshiarpur

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes mellitus is sometimes referred to as “high sugar” by both client and health care provider¹ Diabetes mellitus is a condition where the body can’t produce enough insulin hormones. According to WHO guideline the normal sugar level for a normal person is 60-100 mg/dl² diabetes is basically two types. Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). NIDDM can occur in 80% of all diabetes cases. It is more prominent in adult and older person. Generally type 2 diabetes mellitus is spread very slowly. In facts the exact causes of diabetes is not known yet. Apart from that there are some other factor are there which increased the chance of diabetes are age and race, environmental factor, obesity, family history.³ The symptoms of diabetes mellitus are polydipsia, polyphagia, polyuria blurred vision, dizziness, extreme tiredness , genital itching, nausea and vomiting, slow healing of wound and many more.⁴ Fasting blood glucose, Random blood glucose test, HbA1c test, Glouces tolerance test are for confirm the diagnosis of diabetes⁵ Treatment of the diabetes mellitus are, dietary management, regular physical activity, and In pharmacological management, there are many oral ant diabetic drugs, which helps to reduce blood glucose level like sulfonylurea, biguanids, meglitinides etc. There are some portable pumps for continuous administration of regular insulin is used, yoga is also ideally suited for diabetes mellitus.⁶

OBJECTIVE OF STUDY:

The objectives of the study were to,

• assess the knowledge level of patient regarding diabetes mellitus.

• find out the association between knowledge of diabetes patient regarding diabetes mellitus and selected demographic variables.

Research hypothesises

H₁ - There will be a significant association between knowledge of diabetes patients regarding diabetes mellitus and selected demographic variables.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this present study the researcher aimed at assessing the knowledge of the diabetes patient regarding diabetes mellitus and find out the association between knowledge of diabetes patient regarding diabetes mellitus and selected demographic variables. Descriptive design was used in this study. Non probability convenient sampling technique was used to select 30 subjects. The researcher used two tools to collect relevant data they were demographic proforma which includes Age, sex, family income, occupational status, marital status, dietary pattern, educational status and duration of diabetes mellitus and structured knowledge questionnaire on diabetes mellitus. It consists of 21 items. Each correct answer was given a score of one and for wrong answer zero. The minimum score was 0 and maximum score was 21. On the basis of scoring, the knowledge level has been classified as Poor knowledge 0 -7, Average knowledge 8 – 14, Good knowledge 15 – 21. Reliability was estimated by using split half method. The reliability obtained was r=0.74. The investigator obtained written permission from the concerned hospital authorities prior to study.

RESULTS:

Table 1 shows that majority of the diabetes patients 15 (50%) are belongs to 51 – 60 age group, whereas 10 (33.3%) of diabetes patients belongs to 41-50 years age group and 5 (16.6%) of diabetes patients belongs to 30-40 year age group. Majority 17 (56.6%) of diabetic patient are males whereas Females are 13 (43.3%). As per family income per month, majority 14(46.6%) of diabetes patients income ranged between Rs 10000- 20000/- , whereas 10(33.3%) of them were having family income less than Rs 10000/- , 5(16.6%) of them having family income between Rs 21000-30000/- and 1(3.3%) having the family income above Rs 30000/-. Majority 13(43.3%) of the diabetic patient are Govt. workers, whereas 5 (16.6%) are industrial workers and 5(16.6%) are unskilled workers, 4 (13.3%) patients are skilled workers and remaining 3 (10%) are semi-skilled workers. Twenty four (80%) diabetes patients are married, unmarried patients are 2 (6.6%) and 3(10%), 1(30) are widow and widower respectively. As per as dietary pattern concern 13 (43.3%) are non-vegetarian people, 12(40%) are vegetarian and 5 (16.6%) are in mixed category. Eleven (36.6%) diabetic patient had education up to secondary school, whereas 5 (16.6%) had informal education, 4 (13.3%) had primary education, 5(16.6%) had completed under graduation and 5(16.6%) has completed postgraduation. Seventeen (56.6%) of patients are suffering from diabetes since < 2 years, 11(36.6%) patients are suffering from diabetes from 2 to 4 years and 2 (6.6%) patients are suffering from diabetes > 4 years.

Table-2 shows that knowledge of 4 (13.33%) diabetic patient has poor, 26 (86.66%) patients have average knowledge and none of the patient has a good knowledge on diabetes mellitus.

In order to find association between knowledge sores among diabetes patients and selected demographic variables the following research hypothesis was tested.

H1- There will be a significant association between knowledge of diabetes patients regarding diabetes mellitus and selected demographic variables of the study.

The chi square test of association between knowledge score and age in years (χ2 =0.0102, p value 0.9195), sex (χ2=0.0360, p value 0.8495), Monthly income (χ2=0.0358, p value 0.8499), Occupational status (χ2 = 0.1506, p value 0.6979), Marital status (χ2 = 1.240, p value 0.2654), Dietary pattern (χ2 = 1.20, p value 0.2733), Educational status (χ2 = 0.3349, p value 0.5629), Duration of diabetes mellitus (χ2 = 0.1640, p value 0.6855) Hence, the research hypothesis is rejected at 0.05 level of significance. None of the demographic variables are associated with knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus.

DISCUSSION:

The aim of present study was to assess the knowledge of diabetes patient regarding diabetes mellitus and to find out association between knowledge of diabetes patient regarding diabetes mellitus and selected demographic variables. Study result revealed that knowledge of 4 (13.33%) diabetic patient has poor, 26 (86.66%) patients have average knowledge and none of the patient has a good knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus. As per as association concern none of the demographic variables of diabetes patients are associated with knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus.

CONCLUSION:

Nurses are the primary care giver and the one who provide the holistic care and emphasizing on patient care. The studies and their nature will help nurse educator in planning awareness camp as well as community programme. As an administrator role in planning and policy making for imparting health information to the target population.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

My heartfelt thanks to the management Smt. Urmila Devi college of B.Sc. Nursing, Kharkan, Hoshirpur, Punjab for their continuous support and valuable suggestions.

The author has no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose.