Assessing the knowledge, attitudes and practice of type 2 diabetes among patients of Saurashtra region, Gujarat.

As India will ranks first in diabetes now and will continue to do so in 2025, we must prevent the disease by various measures. Before setting the programmes, we should have ample data on the population's knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of diabetes. There are some epidemiological studies from southern India, Mumbai and north India, but there is no KAP study from Gujarat. The study was conducted between the period of June 2007 to November 2007 at three centers of Saurashtra region. Out of 300 patients who were given questionnaire, 238 patients were included for the analysis, rest were excluded due to various reasons. 52% were male. Mean age of patients was 55.82+/-10.2 years (95% CI 54.5-57.1) with mean weight of 64.52+/-10.96 Kg (95% CI 62.8-66.2). Mean duration of diabetes was 8.2+/-6.8 years (95% CI 7.2-9.1). 46% of patients knew the pathophysiology of diabetes. Nearly 50% knew the complications of diabetes. Dietary modifications were relied more than exercises among the interviewed subjects. Most of the lacunae in knowledge prevailed in drug therapy of diabetes. Insulin was not favored by most of patients. An encouraging finding in our study was that most believed in self-care and ready to change. Consultation time given by their treating doctors was less than 5 minutes in nearly 50%. Foot care and education to prevent complications were least suggested by doctors.