title: Association between information sources and level of knowledge about diabetes in patients with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association between the type of information source and the level of knowledge about diabetes mellitus in patients with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted at a reference diabetes and hypertension center in Lima, Peru, during 2014. Level of knowledge was measured using the Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire-24 and 12 information sources. Patients with 75% correct answers were considered to have a good knowledge. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total 464 patients enrolled, 52.2% were females, and 20.3% used the Internet as information source. Mean knowledge was 12.9±4.8, and only 17.0% had a good knowledge, which was associated with information on diabetes obtained from the Internet (OR=2.03, 95% CI 1.32 to 3.14), and also from other patients (OR=1.99, 95% CI 1.20 to 3.31). Good knowledge was also associated with postgraduate education (OR=3.66, 95% CI 1.21 to 11.09), disease duration longer than 12 years (OR=1.91, 95% CI 1,22 to 3.01), and age older than 70 years (OR=0.39, 95% CI 0.21-0.72).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Search for information in the Internet was positively associated to a good level of knowledge. It is suggested to teach patients with diabetes to seek information on the Internet and, on the other hand, to develop virtual spaces for interaction of patients with diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Nutrición, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú. Electronic address: pcnukcan@upc.edu.pe.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cántaro
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Nutrición, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Jimena A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jara
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Nutrición, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú; Centro Integral de Diabetes e Hipertensión, EsSalud, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taboada
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
authors.forename: Percy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mayta-Tristán
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010568:Peru; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Acceso a la información; Access to information; Conocimiento; Diabetes mellitus; Educación en salud; Health education; Internet; Knowledge; Peru; Perú