Knowledge And Practice of Diabetes Mellitus Patients Regarding Physical Exercise Attending Diabetic Association Hospital

Background: Physical exercise is essential for managing diabetes mellitus effectively. Objective: To assess the knowledge and practice of physical exercise among diabetes mellitus patients attending Diabetic Association Hospital, Rajshahi. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 325 purposively selected diabetes mellitus patients. Data were collected using structured questionnaires evaluating knowledge and exercise practices. Descriptive statistics, standard deviations, and inferential analyses (chi-square tests) were employed to examine associations, with significance set at p<0.05. Results: Of the respondents, 49% were male and 51% female, with a mean age of 50.11 ± 12.23 years. The average monthly family income was Taka 13,422.69 ± 13,553.5. Educational attainment included 49.2% with secondary/higher secondary education, 12% illiterate, and 10.5% graduates. The mean duration of diabetes was 6.99 ± 9.38 years. Regarding knowledge, 96% had complete or partial understanding of exercise benefits. In practice, 97% exercised daily, with 93% exercising in the morning. Treatment modalities included 46.8% on insulin, 42.2% on oral hypoglycemics, and 5.8% on both. Uncontrolled diabetes was observed in 50.5% of participants. Exercise intensity was predominantly light (99%). Significant positive correlations were found between knowledge and educational status (p < 0.001) and duration of diabetes (p < 0.05). Gender differences showed 100% of males exercised in the morning versus 90% of females (p < 0.01). Marital status analysis revealed 99% of married individuals engaged in light exercise compared to 86% of unmarried individuals (p < 0.01). Standard deviations and p-values underscore the statistical significance of these findings. Conclusions: High levels of knowledge and daily physical exercise practices were prevalent among diabetes patients, predominantly involving light exercises. Enhanced educational strategies are recommended to improve exercise intensity and diabetes management.