title: Self-monitoring of blood glucose among diabetes patients attending government health clinics.
abstract: The aims of this study were (i) to determine the prevalence of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) among Type 2 diabetes patients attending government health clinics and (ii) to ascertain the factors influencing SMBG. Five hundred and fifty-six Type 2 diabetes patients from two government health clinics in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The total subjects of the study were 556 patients. Eighty-five patients (15.3%) of patients; performed SMBG. However, 170 subjects were included in the statistical analysis, 85 patients who were not self-monitoring were randomly selected and was compared with 85 patients who were self-monitoring. Among those who performed SMBG, the majority (83.5%) monitored less than once per day and only 16.5% monitored at least once a day. One-third of patients adjusted their medications based on their SMBG results. The higher patient's level of education (p= 0.024, CI 1.29 - 35.3); the higher total family income (p= 0.041, CI 1.26 - 4.79); the longer duration of diabetes (p<0.01, CI 2.22 - 7.29); and treatment regime which includes insulin (p< 0.001, CI 2.05 -9.24) were significant predictors of SMBG practice. Although SMBG is recognised to be useful and effective in achieving diabetes control, this study has found that only a minority of patients with diabetes performed SMBG. Hence healthcare personnel must increase awareness on the importance of SMBG and strongly promote the practice among diabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: Kuala Pilah Health Clinic, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mastura
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mimi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Piterman
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wijesinha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human