Assessment of diabetes knowledge levels in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes in iraq

Aims: This study seeks to assess the knowledge of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes about type 2 diabetes and to find the relationship between their socio-demographic characteristics and their level of type 2 diabetes knowledge. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Dhi-Qar city in Iraq, from July 5th, 2022, to August 24th, 2022, and comprised subjects aged >60 years with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The sample size of the study was (n= 208) elderly people. The Arabic version of the Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test (V.2016) was used for data collection. The Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H were used for analysis. Result: Of the 208 participants, the score of level of knowledge is statistically significant according to male gender, education status to university level and above, residence in rural areas, a normal value of HbA1C (Diabetes), fasting blood glucose (FBG) with high blood glucose, and post-prandial blood glucose (PBG) with high blood glucose (p>0.05 each). Conclusion: In order to prevent and manage diabetes, social policies that will increase the knowledge level of the elderly are necessary.