Diabetes-related Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice among Outpatients of a Tertiary Hospital in North-western Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: One of the challenges facing the management of diabetes is the misconception and inadequate knowledge about the disease. We assessed the level of diabetes-related knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among patients with diabetes in North-western Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study. A total of 400 participants were recruited. A KAP questionnaire was used to assess the KAP of the patients. Glycated hemoglobin was used to measure the level of glucose control of the study participants. Results: The mean age of the patients was 51 years, majority being females 233 (58.3%). The mean knowledge score was 6.2 ± 3.1 points (out of 15), average attitude score was 2.5 ± 1.5 points (out of 5), and the mean practice score was 2.1 ± 1.3 points (out of 6). The level of KAP was found to be directly related to glycemic control (P < 0.01). The level of education (odds ratio [OR]: 5.0 and 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.196–0.452) and monthly income (OR: 4.4 and 95% CI: 0.123–0.326) were found to be independent predictors of diabetes-related KAP. Conclusion: The study has demonstrated poor diabetes-related KAP. The patient's level of education and income plays a major role in the management of diabetes.