The awareness of diabetes mellitus in centrum of aydin: Diabetes associated knowledge level and related factors

The awareness of diabetes mellitus in centrum of Aydın: Diabetes associated knowledge level and related factorsDiabetes mellitus is a disease that lasts for life, can be treated, decrease the life quality with acute and chronic complications, with high cost about social and economical. Becouse of the increasing insidence, the diabetes education is very important. Education is a significant factor that affects the diabetes awareness. There are a lot of research about this effect. In this study we aimed to determine at our region?s specific state about diabetes awareness, knowledge level and related factors and so tried to attract attention this subject. Most studies are about the knowledge level for only diabetic patients. In this study we ask about the non-diabetic patients too, so we aimed to determine a general population?s knowledge level and to compare the two groups. These data will lead the future researchs about to prevent diabetes mellitus and protection from complications of diabetes.Our cross-sectional and restrictive study performed between 1 January 2012 and 31 March 2012. The 8 Family Health Centers (FHC) are selected randomly from the 16 Family Health Centers in centrum of Aydın. 18 and more years old 1026 people and who accepted the study included in this study. To collect the data we used two part questionnary forms. In first part includes the socio-demographic informations. Second part includes Short Diabetes Information Test that occur from 23 questions and that improved by Michigan Diabetes Research and Education Center for determining knowledge level about diabetes mellitus. Questionnary forms given to the participants and their lenghts, weights and waist circumferences are saved for calculating body mass index.The main score the all participants? Short Diabetes Information Test was 10,57±5,19. In conclusion the knowledge level of educated people are significantly higher than others. The people who had diabetes mellitus education had higher scores when compared to the non-educated participants. Also the participants? knowledge level, who are medical personnel, are significantly enough when compared to the other jobs. When the socioeconomic level decreases the knowledge level significantly decreses too. The other factors that increases knowledge level are high income, exercise and to be younger from 65 years old. It is very surprising that to be diabetic doesn?t affect the knowledge level.In conclusion although the diabetes education increases the knowledge level significantly, to be diabetic doesn?t effect the level alone.Key words: Diabetes, awareness of diabetes, diabetes education, related factors