Knowledge and Perception about Diabetes and its Risk Factors

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder that increases the risks of developing other diseases in diabetic patients and can affect their quality of life. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine knowledge and perception of risk of diabetes mellitus among the public in Saudi Arabia. Methodology: The survey in the present cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the public knowledge and perception of risk of diabetes mellitus using a validated survey. The survey was converted to an online form using Google Forms. Results: About 79.69% of the respondents use one or more medication and 70.31% of them had at least one chronic disease. About 34.37 % of the respondents were overweight respondents or had obesity. About 93.75% of the respondents said that they know the main risk factors and the protective factors of diabetes. More than 90 % of them have a good knowledge about diabetes and about antidiabetic drugs but more than 54% of them said that they need additional information about diabetes and about antidiabetic medications. Original Research Article Ahmed et al.; JPRI, 33(43A): 423-427, 2021; Article no.JPRI.73181 424 Conclusion: Our study suggests that more efforts should be made to increase the public knowledge about diabetes and an awareness program including lectures, workshops are essential to avoid getting diabetes among the public and to maintain good glycemic control among diabetic


INTRODUCTION
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder that increases the risks of developing other diseases in diabetic patients and can affect their quality of life [1,2]. Patients with diabetes are at higher risks of developing other healthrelated complications than nondiabetics, these complications include higher risks of developing cardiovascular complications, fertility complications, in addition to renal diseases [3][4][5][6].
Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common diseases recognized globally [7]. This is evident from the increased reporting of diabetes disease worldwide which is estimated to reach a figure of 366 million [8]. It is also anticipated to become the 7 th leading cause of death by 2030 [9]. Diabetes global prevalence in 2014 was reported to be 8.5 % [9]. Diabetes is a global health concern that increase the morbidity and mortality rate [10]. Fareed et et al reported that diabetes leads to macrovascular and microvascular complication and that the deficiency of the insulin actions in type 2 diabetes mitigates the healthrelated quality of life [11].
The prevalence of diabetes in developing countries is relatively high particularly, in Saudi Arabia [12]. According to the International Diabetes Federation, Saudi Arabia has the highest rate of DM in the Middle Eastern and North African region (rate of 17.7%) [13]. Al-Daghri et al conducted a cross-sectional study in 2011 and found that the prevalence rate for Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) in Saudi Arabia was 31.6% [14]. Moreover, Alqurashi et al reported a prevalence rate for T2DM of 30% in 2009 [15]. The International Diabetes Federation reported that Saudi Arabia has the fourth highest incidence of Type 1 Diabetes (T1DM) in the world, at a rate of 33.5/100,000 persons per year [13].
Glycemic control is an important indicator to prevent the diabetic complications such as cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Alsulaiman et al indicated that about two-thirds of Saudi diabetic patients have poor glycemic control [16]. Evidence suggests that the prevalence of diabetes is affected by numerous factors including early diagnosis, sociodemographic, and health knowledge [17]. Furthermore, optimal disease knowledge is vital for decreasing the related risk factors of inadequate glycemic control, so the assessment of the patient's mindfulness is critical [7]. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine knowledge and perception of risk of diabetes mellitus among the public in Saudi Arabia.

METHODOLOGY
The survey in the present cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the public knowledge and perception of risk of diabetes mellitus using a validated survey in February 2021. The study population was the public in Saudi Arabia.
The survey was converted to an online form using Google Forms and consisted of items on socio-demographic data, the health status of the respondents and knowledge and perception of risk of diabetes mellitus.
Body mass index was calculated by dividing body mass by the square of the body height, and is expressed in units of kg/m². The data was exported into Excel and the descriptive data were represented as numbers and percentages.

RESULTS
The survey was filled by 64 respondents. Most of them were females (85.94%), unemployed (85.94%) and non-smoker (90.63%). The Age of about 54.69% of the respondents was more than 40 years. Table 1 shows the socio-demographic data of the respondents. Table 2 shows the health status of the respondents. About 79.69% of the respondents use one or more medication and 70.31% of them had at least one chronic disease. About 34.37 % of the respondents were overweight respondents or had obesity.

DISCUSSION
Most of the respondents in the preset study had one or more of the chronic diseases including such as diabetes and use at least one medication. Moreover, more than 80 % of them had close relatives with diabetes mellitus and about 40 % of them were worried of getting diabetes in the future.  [10]. Furthermore, Abahussain and El-Zubier showed a deficiency of knowledge on the general aspects of diabetes mellitus [21]. They also concluded that awareness and education about diabetes are needed urgently among the studied sample [21].

CONCLUSION
This study showed that a high percentage of the respondents had a good knowledge, but they need additional information about diabetes and about antidiabetic medications. Our study suggests that more efforts should be made to increase the public knowledge about diabetes and an awareness program including lectures, workshops are essential to avoid getting diabetes among the public and to maintain good glycemic control among diabetic patients.

CONSENT
As per international standard or university standard, respondents' written consent has been collected and preserved by the author(s).

ETHICAL APPROVAL
It is not applicable.