Knowledge Attitude and Practises of Women With Diabetes About Their Disease

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Volume 12 (1), 2010

Knowledge Attitude and Practices of Women

with Diabetes about their Disease.

Devgun P

Singh Tejbir

Deepti SS

www.ijmch.org

INDIAN JOURNAL OF

MATERNAL AND CHILD

HEALTHTo study the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of women with diabetes about their

disease.


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INDIAN JOURNAL OF MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH,2010 JAN MAR;12(1)

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Knowledge Attitude and Practises of Women with Diabetes about their

Disease.

Devgun P*, Singh Tejbir,**^, Deepti SS***^

*Assistant Professor, Deptt. Of Community Medicine, SGRDIMSAR ,Sri Amritsar.

** Professor,.*** Assistant Professor,

^Deptt. Of Community Medicine, Govt. Medical college, Sri Amritsar.

Correspondence Dr Priyanka Devgun

Email drdevgunpriyanka @rediiffmail.com

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To study the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of women with diabetes

about their disease.

Setting: Urban Health Training Centre (UHTC) attached to the Department of Community

Medicine, Govt. Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab.

Period of study: March 2002- June 2003.

Study design: Cross sectional.

Sample size: 81 females suffering from diabetes for at least one year and taking oral

hypoglycaemic drugs for the same.

Methodology: A diabetes clinic was especially set up at UTHC to screen out women

suffering from diabetes and on oral hypoglycaemic drugs for at least one year. A pretested

proforma was administered to such participants and a random blood sugar test was

conducted to assess their diabetes status.

Results: The current status of diabetes and the KAP of 81 women enrolled in the stipulated

period were elicited.

Key words: Women, diabetes, knowledge, attitude, practises


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INTRODUCTION

Diabetes is emerging as a major health concern in both developing and developed countries.

As the knowledge about diabetes is increasing, paradoxically, it is becoming more difficult to

define diabetes. Perhaps, it can be best defined as a heterogeneous group of diseases

characterized by a state of chronic hyperglycaemia resulting from diverse aetiologies,

environmental and genetic factors working together. (1)

It is predicted that there will be 42% increase in diabetics in developing countries by 2025.

(2)

Worldwide, there are more female than male diabetics. Utilising the standard WHO criteria,

2.4% of the rural and 4-11% of the urban dwellers were found to be diabetic with the

potential for further rise in coming decades. (3)

The present study was conducted to know the knowledge, attitude, practices (KAP) of

women with diabetes which might give some insight into the future management of the

disease.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

The present study was conducted at Urban Training Health Centre attached to the

department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, Amritsar between

March 2002 to June 2003. A Diabetes Clinic was especially set up for the purpose of the

study. Free blood sugar testing facility, health education on non pharmacological measures

and advice on life style modification for better management of the disease was given in this

clinic. A total of 250 diabetics who had the disease for least a year and who were on oral

hypoglycaemic drugs were enrolled in the study after taking their formal consent. There

were 169 males and 81 females in the study. The enrolled subjects were administered a

pretested proforma to know their knowledge, attitude and practices about their disease and

were subjected to a random blood sugar test to know their current status of diabetes. Thedata so collected were compiled and statistically analysed to reach certain conclusions

Socioeconomic scale was calculated using modified Kuppuswami scale. (4)

OBSERVATIONS AND DISCUSSION

Table I: Distribution of Subjects according to Age Group.

Age group N Percentage

30-39 07 08.6

40-49 15 18.5

50-59 42 51.9

60-69 14 17.3

70 and above 03 03.7

Total 81 100


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Majority of female diabetics were in the age group of 50-59 years followed by diabetics in

the age group of 40-49 years.

Table II: Distribution of Subjects according to Educational Status.

Educational status N Percentage

Professional 07 8.7

Graduate 41 50.7

Intermediate 05 6.2

High school 12 14.8

Middle school 04 4.9

Primary school 01 1.2

Illiterate 11 13.6

Total 81 100

41 (50.7%) females enrolled in the study were graduates.

Table III: Distribution of Subjects according to Socioeconomic Status.

Socioeconomic status N Percentage

Upper 05 6.2

Upper middle 15 18.3

Lower middle 29 35.8

Upper lower 27 33.3

Lower lower 06 7.4

Total 81 100

Modified Kuppuswami scale was applied to classify the socioeconomic status. 29 (35.8%) of

the subjects belonged to lower middle class. Joslin reported that diabetes is a disease

affecting extremes of socioeconomic status. The reason for the apparent contradiction in

this study might be because the settings UTHC largely caters to middle class. (6)


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Table IV: Family history of diabetes.

Relation to diabetic N Percentage

Father 16 19.7

Mother 22 27.2

Paternal side 05 6.1

Maternal side 04 5.0

Do not know 37 45.7

A large number of female diabetics 37 could not tell whether or not they had diabetes in

their family. 3 females had diabetes in both the parents. Diabetes tends to run in families. A

person with a family history of diabetes is 2-4 times as likely to develop diabetes as

someone without a family history. (7)

Table V: Opinion about Cause of Diabetes.

Cause of diabetes N * Percentage

Evil deeds in the past 16 19.7

Inherited from parents 29 35.8

Excess sweet consumption 20 24.6

Stress/ Tension 30 37.0Drugs / disease 2 2.4

Do not know 6 7.4

Others

-Less physical activity

-Obesity

-Infections

-Junk food

3

3

1

5

3.7

3.7

1.2

6.1

*Multiple Responses

Inheritance from parents was rated as the leading cause of diabetes followed closely by

excessive sweet consumption.


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Table VI: Distribution according to opinion about whether Diabetes is Curable or

Controllable according to Educational Status.

Belief Curable Controllable Total

Up to intermediate 27 (81.8%) 6 (18.2%) 33 (40.7%)Graduate and above 9 (18.7%) 39 (81.3%) 48 (59.3%)

Total 36 (44.4%) 45 (55.6%) 81 (100%)

DF=1 2=31.3 p


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Table IX: Distribution according to Efforts made to increase Knowledge about the Disease

according to Educational Status

Effort N Row %s N Row % Total

Up to intermediate 2 (6.1%) 31 (93.9%) 33 (40.7%)

Graduate and above 34 (70.8%) 14 (29.2%) 48 (59.3%)

Total 36 (44.4%) 45 (55.6%) 81 (100%)

DF=1 2=36.8 p


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Most of the diabetics relied on regular medication to be euglycaemic. 50.6%

diabetics simultaneously tried alternate medicine and therapies. Only 28.4% females

followed a regular exercise regimen to control their blood sugar levels.

Table XII: Distribution according to the Knowledge about Complications of Diabetes.

Diabetes affects organ/ organ

system

N Percentage

Eyes 68 83.9%

Kidneys 73 90.1%

Heart 37 45.6%

Musculoskeletal system 12 14.8%

Urinary system 18 22.2%

Nerves 65 80.2%

Genital tract 4 4.9%

Gangrenous foot 34 41.9%

DO not know 26 32.0%

In a study done by Rossing, it was found that 25-46% patients with diabetes developed

clinically detectable nephropathy despite best management (8). Diabetes adversely affects

the kidneys was known to 73 (90.1%) out of 81 female diabetics Loss of vision due to open

angle glaucoma and cataract are more common in diabetics. (9)42 (51.9%) subjects enrolled in the study were between 50-59 years of age. 41 (50.7%) of

them were graduates. Of the 81 female subjects enrolled, as many as 55 (67.9%) had

uncontrolled sugar levels on spot check. Diabetes was considered controllable, inheritable

and efforts to increase knowledge about diabetes were significantly more by subjects who

were graduates and above. Doctor was the most favoured resource to increase knowledge

about diabetes by 21 (25.9%) followed by relatives and friends of diabetics as a source of

information in 18 (22.2%) patients Stress and tension was rated as the leading cause of

diabetes by 30 (37%) subjects followed closely by inheritance in 29 (35.8%) and excessive

sweet consumption by 20 (24.4%). A large number 37 (45.7%) could not tell about any

family history of the disease. When asked on measure to be followed to maintain controlled

sugar levels, 68 (83.9%) chose regular medication and 41 (50.6%) opted for alternatetherapies. Renal complications was cited as the most frequent complication by 73 (90.1%).

There were 169 male diabetics in the study and the observations in males largely paralleled

those in females with insignificant differences.


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REFERENCES

1. WHO Technical Report Series, No. 646, 1980.2. King H, Aubert AE, Herman WH. Global burden of diabetes mellitus-Present and

Future. Diabetes Care 1998; 21:1414-31.

3.

Leowski JR. Prevalence and control of diabetes mellitus. Report of intercountryworkshop, Dhaka, SEA/NCD/40, April 1998: 27-30.

4. RBI Annual Report 2001, RBI Bulletin, November 2001.5. Singh H. Effect of extract of freshly sprouted fenugreek seeds syndrex NIDDM

1998:71-75.

6. Joslin EP. The prevention of diabetes mellitus. JAMA 1921; 76:79-84.7. www.migeneticsconnection.org/Family%20Health%20History/diabetes%20fact%20c

ard.pdf.

8. Rossing P, Jacobsen P, Parving HH. Unchanged incidence of diabetic nephropathy.Diabetes 1995; 44: 739-943.

9. WHO Technical Report Series, No. 844, 1994.

Knowledge Attitude and Practises of Women With Diabetes About Their Disease

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