Volume 27, Issue 132, February 2023

Awareness of Saudi diabetic adults about complications of diabetes mellitus in Hail region

Fayez Saud Alreshidi^1♦, Rayed Alreshidi², Reem Najran Al Shammary³, Ahlam Jried Al-Bluwe⁴, Reem Zaal Aldogeman⁵, Halah Mohammad Alrasheedi⁶, Fawaz Alrashdi⁷, Satam Hamid Albarak⁷, Azizah Alreshedi⁷, Resheed Alkhiari⁸

¹Associate Professor and Consultant Family Medicine, Department of Family & Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Saudi Arabia
²Teaching Assistant, Department of Family & Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Saudi Arabia
³Internal Medicine Resident, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
⁴Psychiatry Resident, Dammam Eradah complex, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
⁵Internal Medicine Resident, Dammam Medical Resident, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
⁶Family Medicine Resident, Qatar Center, Hail, Saudi Arabia
⁷Ministry of Health, Hail Health Cluster, Hail, Saudi Arabia
⁸Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia

^♦Corresponding author
Associate Professor and Consultant Family Medicine, Department of Family & Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Background: Saudi Arabia has the highest prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus which is 32.8% and the anticipated prevalence will be 40.37% in 2025. This study intended to estimate the level of awareness of diabetic adults about complications of diabetes mellitus in the Hail region. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hail region, via self-administered questionnaires for 230 participants. Diabetic patients of age 15 years or older were included. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: Of the total, 20.9% had been diagnosed between 1 to 4 years ago, 27.8% within 5 to 10 years ago; while 37.8% had been diabetics for longer than 10 years. 87.4% of participants believed that diabetes mellitus has serious complications and 11.3% disagreed. 85.7% of participants agreed that high levels of HbA1c for a long time can lead to more serious complications, while 1.7% disagreed and 12.6% expressed a lack of knowledge. Most respondents (93%) thought that there is a relation between retinopathy to diabetes mellitus, 1.3% believed there is none and 5.7% did not know. 89.1% believed that patients should have a follow-up for retinopathy but 0.9% disagreed and 10% were not sure. 87.4% expressed that DM can cause neuropathy while 11.3% expressed a lack of knowledge. 1.3% denied such a relationship. 95.2 % agreed that controlling blood sugar would decrease the complications, while 3.9% were not sure. Only 0.9% disagreed. Conclusion: Patients demonstrated a good level of awareness about diabetes mellitus complications in comparison to other populations.

Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus, Complications, Hail, HbA1c, Awareness

Medical Science, 2023, 27, e120ms2905

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v27i132/e120ms2905

Published: 27 February 2023