Does a diabetic retinopathy educational program raise awareness among elderly diabetic patients?

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Endocrinology
• Public Health

Background:

• Diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of irreversible blindness in diabetic patients.
• Assessing patient knowledge, attitudes, and practices is crucial for effective management.
• Early detection and intervention can prevent vision loss.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning diabetic retinopathy among diabetic clinic attendees.
• To determine the impact of a targeted educational program on patient awareness and behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was employed.
• Two hundred diabetic patients from Assiut University hospitals participated.
• Structured interviews assessed socio-demographic data, knowledge, attitudes, and practices.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in knowledge (5.3 to 16.7) and attitude (15.1 to 16.8) scores were observed post-intervention (p<0.001).
• Educational level, family history, hypertension, age, residence, smoking, blood sugar, and weight were identified as predictors for knowledge, attitude, and practice scores.

Conclusions:

• The educational program effectively enhanced patient awareness regarding diabetic retinopathy.
• A significant correlation exists between educational attainment and knowledge levels about diabetic retinopathy.