Assessment of Educational and Behavioral Characteristics of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type-II Towards Diabetes Mellitus and Related Risk Factors and Complications in Yemen

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM), a metabolic disorder, and severity continue to rise worldwide. Yemen has a rising diabetes rate. Successful treatment requires knowledge and awareness. Illiteracy rates are higher in Yemen, and diabetes knowledge is low. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge and awareness among Yemeni diabetic patients of diabetes mellitus, including its risk factors, complications, and monitoring measures. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Sana'a City in 2024. The study enrolled 400 type 2 diabetes patients. The checklist included sociodemographic characteristics, disease information, and questions about signs and symptoms of hypo/hyperglycemia, risk factors, complications, and monitoring measures of diabetes mellitus. The data was collected through a one-time survey in four different hospitals. The data was analyzed using SPSS v21 for descriptive and linear regression. Results: The majority, 219 (54.8%), of the patients were between 46 and 65 years old with a mean of 54.8 years; 207 (51.75%) of the patients were female. The overall level of knowledge and awareness among diabetic patients is moderate with a mean score of 2.16 (STD ± 0.13). Education level has a significant positive relationship with the level of knowledge and awareness of the patients (r= 0.158, p < 0.005). The level of knowledge and awareness was found to have a moderate negative correlation to the HbA1c level of 0.429 (p-value < 0.001). Conclusion: The diabetic patients have a moderate level of knowledge and awareness. Educational degrees affect patient knowledge and awareness. The unfavorable connection between patient knowledge and awareness and glycemic control. The study recommended implementing comprehensive diabetes education programs in clinical sites that cover various aspects of diabetes mellitus.