Self-care Behaviors and Complications of Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Napalai Hospital, Samutsongkhram Province

Abstract

The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to examine the knowledge of diabetes mellitus, as regard to self-care behavior, factors related to self-care behavior, and complication in diabetes mellitus patients in Napalai hospital (which is government hospital in Samutsongkhram Province : 90 beds, general treatment). Sample group was taken by accidental sampling, of which a total of 260 diabetes mellitus patients who were equal or over 15 years old and have had medical treatment at Napalai hospital for over 3 months. Questionnaire was employed as instrument for data collecting during November 2006 – January 2007. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. Studied results indicated that the majority, 83.5 percent, had high level of knowledge of diabetes mellitus and 70.8 percent had moderate level of self-care behavior, 28.8 and 0.4 percent were at low and high level, respectively. Uncorrected self-care behaviors which mostly found in both male and female included, periodic ophthalmic examination by ophthalmologist at least once a year, extremity foot exercising, and also physical exercising. Male had more uncorrected behavior than female regarding drinking and smoking, even though this is seldom behaved. Factors related to self-care behavior by statistical significance (P-value <0.05) in female, included knowledge of diabetes mellitus, acquired information and duration of the illness but the factor in male is only the duration of the illness. These relationships, both in female and male, were positively related. In regard to the complication, there were 68.5 percent of which 69.5 percent found in female and 65.8 percent found in male. Complications in female mostly included, diabetic hypertension (32.6 percent) and diabetic retinopathy, cardiovascular, neuropathy, nephropathy, and complexion complication were 11.8, 9.1, 4.3, 0.5, and 0.5 percent, respectively, while multiple complications in female was 10.7 percent. Complications in male included, diabetic hypertension, 21.9 percent, diabetic cardiovascular, retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy complication accounted to 12.3, 9.6, 8.2, and 2.7 percent, respectively, while multiple complications in male was 11.0 percent. According to the results, there should be developing program for diabetes mellitus patients to change toward corrected self-care behavior, in order to control illness in appropriate condition and prevent consequent serious complications.