Assessment Knowledge and Practice of Diabetic Patients (Type II) about Long Term Complications of their Disease in Kirkuk City

Abstract

Background:- Diabetes mellitus is a syndrome  that affects  all the body parts ,  is a life-long disease marked by elevated levels of sugar in the blood. It is the second leading cause of blindness and renal disease worldwide. This can cause severe short-term and long-term Complications s ranging from brain damage to amputations and heart disease

Aim of the study :- In order to assess knowledge  and practice  of Diabetic patients (Type 2)  about long term complications of disease  in Kirkuk city  as well as to find out the relationship between patients knowledge , practice and some socio-demographic characteristic such as age ,gender ,educational level , address and job

Methodology:- A descriptive study of a quantitative design were carried out at Azadi teaching hospital and Kirkuk general hospital in Kirkuk city for diabetic patients (type 2)  from 2^nd of July , 2013, up to the 20^th of  April , 2014.  A non-probability (purposive) sample of (200) definitely diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (type 2) selected from adult patients who were attended to Azadi Teaching Hospital and Kirkuk General Hospital in Kirkuk city. Developed questionnaire  was constructed for the purpose of the study which consisted of four  parts: the first part include the  demographic data (6 ) items , the second part consist from (5 ) items of patients   medical date , the third part was contained  (21) questions which assess the  knowledge of the diabetic patients about long term complications of diabetic and the fourth part was contained (10 ) questions which assess the  practice  of the diabetic patients about long term complications of diabetic . 3-likert scale option was used in the rating scale as: (3) for yes  , (2 ) for uncertain  ,and  ( 1 ) for no  . Content validity was determined by presenting the questionnaire to a panel of (10) experts . The data were collected through the use of interview. They were analyzed through the application of descriptive statistical analysis (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistical data analysis (chi-square, T –test and ANOVA  ) by using the statistical package of social science (SPSS ) version (17 ).

Results :-The findings of the study indicated that (56.5%) of the patients were in age group between (45-60), (56.5%) were females, (53%) has family history of diabetic mellitus  , (44%) were house wives, (73%) were married, , (78.5%) living in urban also the study conclude highly significant relation between diabetic patients knowledge and their age , education level , marital status and job.

Conclusions:- The study finding the patients knowledge and practice were poor about their  disease in Kirkuk city

Recommendation :- Designed an educational programs to increase people knowledge about their  life style, etiology, signs and symptom, complication and treatment of diabetic mellitus and practice which decrease the impact of their disease . Advertisements and some health educational programs regard diabetic  mellitus should be encouraged through mass media

Keywords:- diabetic patients , practice, Knowledge .