Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Diabetic Patients toward Diabetic Retinopathy in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Eastern India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Abstract Background: To document knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) patterns of diabetic patients regarding diabetic retinopathy (DR), to determine associations between them, and to identify barriers to compliance with follow up and treatment regimes. Method: This is a cross-sectional study including 504 participants who attended the outpatient department (OPD) of a tertiary care hospital in eastern India. The participants included diabetic patients and questionnaires were completed to collect information about their sociodemographic and healthcare characteristics. A Chi-square test and Pearson correlation test were performed to analyze the data. Results: A total of 504 participants were enrolled in the study, with a mean age of 62.84 ± 7.62 years and a mean diabetes duration of 12 ± 4.42 years. The majority (65.07%) of the participants had higher secondary education or above. Good knowledge, a positive attitude, and poor DR practices were observed in 56.34%, 68%, and 66.6% of participants, respectively. The most common barrier to complying with regular follow-up despite having knowledge were domestic issues (no family support, lack of transport). Conclusion: The study reported good knowledge and attitude about DR among type 2 diabetics with relatively poor eye-care practices. Therefore, it is recommended that a collaborative approach amongst primary care providers, ophthalmologists, diabetologists, and health policy makers is necessary to transform this good knowledge and attitude into good practices.