title: Knowledge of complications of diabetes mellitus among patients visiting the diabetes clinic at Sampa Government Hospital, Ghana: a descriptive study.
abstract: Diabetes mellitus (DM) appears to be a global epidemic and an increasingly major non-communicable disease threatening both affluent and non-affluent society. The study aimed to determine the knowledge of diabetic complications among diabetes mellitus clients visiting the Diabetic Clinical at Sampa Government Hospital, Ghana.
  
  
  
  This questionnaire-based descriptive study recruited a total 630 patients visiting the Diabetes Clinic at the Sampa Government Hospital. Structured questionnaire was used to obtain information such as socio-demographic and knowledge on complications of diabetes.
  
  
  
  Out of a total of 630 participants, 325 (51.5 %) knew diabetic foot as the most common complication followed by hypertension 223(35.4 %), neuropathy 184 (29.2 %), hypoactive sexual arousal 160(25.4 %), arousal disorder 135(21.5 %), eye diseases 112(17.7 %), heart disease 58(9.2 %), and renal disease 34(5.4 %). Comprehensive assessment of level of knowledge on the complications showed that majority 378(60.0 %) of T2D patients did not have knowledge on diabetes complications, 169(26.9 %) had inadequate knowledge on diabetics complication while 82(13.1 %) had adequate knowledge. The risk factors associated with the level of knowledge of diabetic complications were female gender adjusted odd ratio (AOR) =2.31 (1.56-3.41) married participants AOR = 3.37 (1.44-7.93), widowed AOR = 2.98 (1.10-8.08), basic level of education AOR =0.18 (0.082-0.50), Junior High School (JHS) and above of education level AOR = 0.035(0.017-0.75), 5-9 years of T2D duration AOR = 0.31(0.018-0.57), ≥10 years T2D duration AOR = 0.042 (0.02-0.10) and urban dwellers AOR = 0.36 (0.22-0.68) respectively.
  
  
  
  Participants knew the individual complication of diabetic mellitus but lack an in-depth knowledge on the complications. Further expansion of diabetic educative programs like using mass media and involving national curriculum of education can improve self-regulatory awareness of diabetic complications which may reduce the morbidity and mortality of diabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Allied Sciences, Garden City University College (GCUC), Kenyasi, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Yaa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Obirikorang
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medical Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Obirikorang
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medical Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana.|Royal Ann College of Health, Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Atwima Manhyia, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Enoch Odame
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Anto
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medical Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. emmanuelachea1990@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Acheampong
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medical Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Emmanuella Nsenbah
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Batu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Allied Sciences, Garden City University College (GCUC), Kenyasi, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Agyemang Duah
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Stella
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Allied Sciences, Garden City University College (GCUC), Kenyasi, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Omerige
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Constance
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medical Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Peter Kojo
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Brenya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Diabetic complication; Knowledge; Type 2 diabetics