KNOWLEDGE AND COMPLIANCE TO DIABETIC DRUGS AND LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AMONG DIABETIC PATIENTS RESIDING IN SELECTED URBAN COMMUNITY OF MEGHALAYA

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes is a growing epidemic both in developed and developing countries. It is perhaps the most important non-infective epidemic to hit the globe in the present millennium. There are 425 million people with diabetes in the World. There will be 629 million people with diabetes in the World in 2045. China has the largest number of diabetics followed by India and USA. Diabetes, a complex metabolic disorder cannot be cured but can be controlled with regular exercise, diet and drug. It needs therapeutic life-style modification and self-care management for good control. Aims: To assess the knowledge and compliance of diabetic patients towards diabetic drugs and lifestyle modification and also to find out the relation between their knowledge and their compliance. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in areas under Pynthorbah Urban Health Centre of Meghalaya. Convenient sampling of 130 type 2 diabetic patients were recruited and information was collected using semi-structured questionnaire. Analysis was done using SPSS 21 version. Result: Out of 130 respondents 59.9% were females and 40.8% were males. In relation to age, majority of them were in the age group of 46-59 years (46.2%). The study also reveals that majority (48.5%) of the respondents were Christians, also most (42.3%) of them had only primary education. In relation to occupation, 40% of the respondents were housewives and according to their family income, majority of them earn < Rs. 20,000 per month. In regards to their personal habits, 35.4% of them were addicted to betelnut consumption. The study also found that 63.8% of the respondents had good knowledge of the diabetic drugs and 58.5% of them had good knowledge of lifestyle modification. Further the study also found that 58.5% of them comply with diabetic drugs, 57.7% with diet, and 66.2% comply with lifestyle modification. There was a significant association found between knowledge and compliance of diabetic patients towards lifestyle modification (p<0.05).Conclusion: Diabetes is one of the non-communicable diseases that threaten the health of the general people. So, there is a need to reach the community people in their setting and educate them about diabetic lifestyle modifications so as to improve their health status and prevent complications.

Keywords: Diabetic drugs, Compliance, Knowledge, Lifestyle modification, Type 2 diabetes.