7809 Role Of Education In Enhancing Preventative Vaccine Awareness Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Saudi Arabia

Abstract Disclosure: S.F. Alqifari: None. T. Alrasheed: None. O. Al Komi: None. P. Amirthalingam: None. M.A. Muqresh: None. H.R. Hamad: None. A.A. Khojah: None. N.M. Alshehri: None. B.A. Alhunayhani: None. B.M. AbuAlhasan: None. N.A. Alajlan: None. S.M. Alatawi: None. N.M. Alsabeelah: None. A.S. Wasel: None. Role of Education in Enhancing Preventative Vaccine Awareness among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia Abstract Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a major chronic disease that requires lifelong management. It requires multidisciplinary efforts from physicians, pharmacists, dieticians, and diabetic educators. Awareness of the importance of follow-up, management, and preventive vaccination decreases the burden of possible complications. The impact of the level of education of patients with diabetes and awareness of preventive vaccination in Saudi Arabia is unclear. Objectives: This study aims to understand the association of the level of education with preventative vaccine awareness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is an observational retrospective study where the data was collected from 13 diabetes center records in Saudi Arabia from November 2022 to May 2023, the records include education level and vaccination reports among 709 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Results: Participants in this study were between the ages of 46 to 65. Participants aged 18 to 25 and 36 to 45 accounted for 24.3% and 16.2% of the participants, respectively, while those aged 26 to 35 and above 65 represented 11.6% and 5.6% of the participants, respectively. In terms of gender distribution, there were slightly more female participants (55.7%) than male participants (44.3%). Most participants (55.9%) held a bachelor's degree, followed by individuals who had completed school education (31.73%). A smaller proportion had post-graduate education (7.3%) or education levels below primary school (5.1%). Regarding vaccination status, a significant proportion of participants (85.89%) had received the COVID-19 vaccine, while the percentages for other vaccines were lower, such as Influenza (34.83%), Hepatitis B (7.19%), and Pneumococcal (3.94%). A small number of participants reported receiving the Herpes Zoster (2.96%), Tdap (2.11%), or HPV (1.12%) vaccines, and surprisingly, 10.01% of participants reported never receiving any vaccines. Conclusion: The level of education among individuals with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia impacted their uptake of preventive vaccinations. Most participants were vaccinated against COVID-19, followed by influenza, while the rate of other vaccines remained low. These findings highlight the need to increase awareness and education among type 2 diabetes patients regarding the importance of seeking necessary preventive vaccinations. Presentation: 6/3/2024