Diabetes knowledge among Greek Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients.
OBJECTIVE
Diabetes knowledge has been shown to improve glycemic control and associate with several demographic parameters. In Greece, a country with high obesity rates, disease knowledge has never been evaluated in diabetic patients. This cross sectional study aimed to assess diabetes knowledge and its associations between social and demographic parameters, among Greek type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.


METHODS
One hundred fifty nine patients with T2DM were recruited from an urban and a rural clinic in Greece. Diabetes knowledge was assessed with the Brief Diabetes Knowledge Test (DKT). Basic anthropometry was performed. Data regarding glycemic control and sociodemographic characteristics were collected from the patients' medical files.


RESULTS
Greek T2DM patients demonstrated poor disease knowledge (mean DKT score 8.3±2.2/14.0 and mean DKT as a percent of correct answers 59.6±15.8%). No differences were observed between sex, place of residence, or glycemic control, among subjects. Patients with higher education demonstrated greater diabetes knowledge. Simple obesity with concurrent central obesity or suboptimal glycemic control decreased diabetes knowledge among participants. Additionally, waist circumference was inversely correlated to diabetes knowledge.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the DKT, Greek patients exhibit poor diabetes knowledge. This study provides evidence for the need for better diabetes education in order to ameliorate disease outcome.
Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Alexander Technological Educational Institute, Sindos GR 57400, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Dimitrios
D
Poulimeneas
Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Alexander Technological Educational Institute, Sindos GR 57400, Thessaloniki, Greece; Postgraduate Program in Diabetes Care, Department of Nursing, Alexander Technological Educational Institute, Sindos GR 57400, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: maria@nutr.teithe.gr.
Maria G
MG
Grammatikopoulou
Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Alexander Technological Educational Institute, Sindos GR 57400, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Vasiliki
V
Bougioukli
Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Alexander Technological Educational Institute, Sindos GR 57400, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Parthena
P
Iosifidou
Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Alexander Technological Educational Institute, Sindos GR 57400, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Maria F
MF
Vasiloglou
Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Alexander Technological Educational Institute, Sindos GR 57400, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Maria-Assimina
MA
Gerama
Rural Hospital of Gavalou, GR 30015 Gavalou, Arginio, Greece.
Dimitrios
D
Mitsos
Express Service Internal Medicine Private Practice, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Ioanna
I
Chrysanthakopoulou
Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Alexander Technological Educational Institute, Sindos GR 57400, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Maria
M
Tsigga
Postgraduate Program in Diabetes Care, Department of Nursing, Alexander Technological Educational Institute, Sindos GR 57400, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Kyriakos
K
Kazakos
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012424:Rural Population; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin
Alfabetización en salud; Conocimiento de la diabetes; Diabetes education; Diabetes knowledge; Diabetes mellitus tipo 2; Educación de los pacientes; Educación sobre la diabetes; Health literacy; Patient education; Type 2 diabetes mellitus