Evaluation of the approaches and awareness of family physicians and physicians in specialty training regarding diabetes mellitus in the province of Tokat

In our study, it was aimed to evaluate the awareness and approaches of general practitioners or specialists working as family physicians in Tokat province, as well as physicians receiving full-time or contractual family medicine specialization training, regarding diabetes mellitus, in order to identify physicians' in-service training needs and to contribute to the literature on the subject. This research is a descriptive and cross-sectional study conducted between January 2025 and April 2025. Within the scope of the study, the questionnaire form prepared by the researchers was completed online by physicians via Google Forms. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: sociodemographic information, propositions related to the management of diabetic patients, and propositions concerning general knowledge about diabetes. A total of 118 physicians participated in the study, of whom 47,5% were general practitioners working as family physicians. 53,4% of the physicians considered their knowledge about diabetes to be at a moderate level. Additionally, 62,7% of the physicians stated that they had received training on diabetes after graduation and had read diabetes-related guidelines within the last five years. The responses to the propositions related to the management of diabetic patients were variable, and only 11,9% of the physicians stated that they frequently or always inquire about the patient's vaccination history at the time of diagnosis. When the total number of correct answers given by the physicians to the 16 propositions related to diabetes was examined, the mean total number of correct answers was found to be 10,13 ± 2,82. Furthermore, the factors affecting the total number of correct answers were: professional title, status of actively practicing family medicine in the field, the time of last diagnosing diabetes, and having read guidelines within the last five years. Our study, which evaluates the awareness and approaches of family physicians regarding diabetes a condition that should be managed within a multidisciplinary team approach suggests that physicians have deficiencies in the management of diabetic patients and that their knowledge about diabetes is at a moderate level. In addition, the factors affecting the total number of correct answers vii highlight the importance of specialization training and guideline knowledge. In this context, the significance of in-service training becomes evident. Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Attitudes, Family Medicine