A comparison of knowledge, attitude and practise among diabetics toward diabetes with and without diabetic education: a survey in Selangor / Nurliana Abdul Latif

Prevalence and incidence of diabetes are increasing dramatically worldwide. It causes considerable amount of disability. premature mortality, lost of productivity as well as increased demands on health care facilities. In Malaysia, it is ranked at number sixth for the disease that causes death among Malaysians. Many programs had been conducted at national and hospital level to educate diabetics on the knowledge and management of diabetes to slowing the complication that may arise from diabetes such as neuropathy, gangrene and stroke. Thus, this study had been conducted to assess whether there is difference in knowledge, attitude and practice among diabetics who received and did not received diabetes education. This study also examines whether there is any correlation between knowledge, attitude and practice of diabetics. Four hospitals and four klinik kesihatan had been chosen to conduct the survey among diabetics and about I 80 samples had been collected from June to October 2009. This study revealed that diabetics who received diabetes education are more well-informed on general knowledge of diabetes. However, this founding is not significant between two groups. This study also found that knowledge score is proportional to the level of education possessed by the respondents. It is quite surprising that those who gain knowledge of diabetes from other sources than healthcare providers are more knowledgeable in term of diabetes knowledge especially information from publishing media such as newspapers, magazines and pamphlets.