Evaluation of Patients knowledge on the risks of diabetic complications at Saudi Arabia

Purpose: Diabetes mellitus is a common disease in our population and society nowadays, the majority of diabetic patients are unaware about the risk of disease and its complications. So The need of warning them about diabetic problems and promoting knowledge about this disease and how to deal with it and avoiding its complication is very crucial.

The aim of this project was to make survey on diabetic patients knowledge about the disease spread, how to prevent the disease progress, diabetes risk factor and diabetic complications

Methods: Across-sectional, observational, descriptive study carried out in adult outpatients attending clinics at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz university hospital, kharj, Saudi Arabia from 1 January. 2015 to 30 June 2015. 500 adult diabetic patients type 1 and 2, of both sex were included in our study,. Questionnaire were distributed to selected patients to make survey on their knowledge about the disease spread, how to prevent the disease progress, diabetes risk factor and diabetic complications

Results: Result of our study showed that about 86% of diabetic patients unaware about diabetes spread, 35.5% think that Obesity is the main risk factors for diabetes followed by Decreased physical activity 25.90%, hypertension 22.89% and positive Family History 15.66%. Also about 65.66% of diabetic patients were unaware about Diabetes prevention. 44.40% of diabetic patients thinks that both, diet and exercise can prevent or improve their diabetic state. However only 31.32% of diabetic patients were aware about diabetic Complication.

Conclusions: We recommend a larger scale and further long term studies investigating awareness of diabetic patients in Alkharj about diabetes Complication, in an attempt to prevent the disease progress, diabetes risk factor and diabetic complications. Also, the role of clinical pharmacists in proper education, awareness, earlier detection and better care can prevent many complications and co-morbidities can be reduced.