KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF TYPE 2 DIABETIC PATIENTS - A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Background: Diabetes is highly prevalent globally as well as in India. It is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Increasing awareness about prevention of Diabetes and its complications is of key importance. Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding diabetes reduce complications and decrease the mortality and morbidity rate. Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude and practices of patients with Diabetes? Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 168 diagnosed cases of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus attending OPD of Sub District Hospital Hazratbal which is the field practice area of Community Medicine Department of GMC Srinagar from December 2017 to March 2018. Patients were given a predesigned prevalidated pretested structured questionnaire. Results: 45% of the subjects know what diabetes is but only 10% knows what causes diabetes. The subjects had poor knowledge regarding features of diabetes, drug therapy. 62% subjects believe that exercise and diet modification both should be done to control Diabetes but Misconceptions about the diet is prevailing like 78% of the subjects still believes that bitter substances can cure diabetes. 50% of the subjects believe that insulin should be avoided and majority (90%) believes that it is habit forming. The overall attitude and practice towards diabetes was low. Only 36% of the population still believes that doctor is responsible for their diabetic care. Only 26% of the populations were checking their sugar regularly and only 15% of the population had glucometer at their home. 40% of the populations were taking herbal medicine. Conclusion: Although KAP regarding Diabetes among Diabetic Patients Is low but majority of patients in our study have misconceptions about causation and treatment of the Disease like sweet foods causing Diabetes (95%) and Insulin as habit forming drug (95%).