title: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Related to Diabetes Mellitus Among Diabetics and Nondiabetics Visiting Homeopathic Hospitals in West Bengal, India.
abstract: High prevalence of undiagnosed cases of diabetes mellitus and poor knowledge, awareness, and practice has increased premature death, costly complications, and financial burden. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in November 2014 on 273 diabetics and 355 nondiabetics in 3 government homeopathic hospitals in West Bengal, India. A self-administered questionnaire assessing knowledge, awareness, and practice related to diabetes was used. A total of 17.5% to 29.3% of the participants were aware of the normal blood sugar level. Lack of insulin, frequent urination, hypertension, and poor wound healing were identified most frequently as the cause, symptom, association, and complications. A total of 35.5% to 46.5% said that diabetes was preventable; 14.1% to 31.9% knew that diabetes was controllable rather than curable. Consumption of planned diet, avoiding sugar, and testing blood sugar were the most frequently identified components of healthy lifestyle, diabetic diet, and diagnostic domain. Diabetics had higher knowledge and awareness than nondiabetics (P < .0001); still the latter need to be made aware and knowledgeable to curtail the ever-increasing burden of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Unit (Homeopathy), Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, Siliguri, West Bengal, India dr.mkoley@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Munmun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koley
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Unit (Homeopathy), Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, Siliguri, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Subhranil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Unit (Homeopathy), Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, Siliguri, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Jogendra Singh
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Arya
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Unit (Homeopathy), Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, Siliguri, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Gurudev
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Choubey
authors.affiliation: Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Howrah, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Shubhamoy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Howrah, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Rajat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
authors.affiliation: Midnapore Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Midnapore, India.
authors.forename: Kaushik Deb
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Midnapore Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Midnapore, India.
authors.forename: Aloke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: The Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Himangsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hait
authors.affiliation: The Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Rajarshi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.affiliation: Nitai Charan Chakroborty Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Howrah, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Tanapa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Banerjee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006705:Homeopathy; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: attitude; diabetes mellitus; diabetics; knowledge; nondiabetics; practice