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Knowledge, attitude and practice of diabetes among secondary school-going children in Bangladesh
Farhana Akter1,2, S M Mahbubur Rashid3, Nazmul Alam4
1Department of Endocrinology, Chittagong Medical College, Chattogram, Bangladesh.
Insights
Most secondary school students in Bangladesh have heard of diabetes, but lack comprehensive knowledge of its causes and treatments. Educational and socioeconomic factors significantly influence diabetes awareness among youth.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Endocrinology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Diabetes Mellitus (DM) presents a growing global health challenge, with increasing rates among young populations worldwide.
- Effective DM management necessitates continuous patient engagement and relies heavily on population-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices.
- Socioeconomic status, education, and residence influence health awareness and disease management outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding Diabetes Mellitus among secondary school students in Bangladesh.
- To identify factors influencing diabetes awareness in the adolescent population.
- To provide an evidence base for targeted interventions to improve diabetes education in Bangladesh.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 2009 secondary school students (grades 6-10) across 18 districts in Bangladesh.
- Data were collected from students attending Bengali, English, and Arabic medium schools and madrasas.
- Statistical analysis included calculating proportions, odds ratios (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to assess knowledge levels and influencing factors.
Main Results:
- While 79.34% of students had heard of diabetes, only 45% understood its link to elevated blood glucose.
- Awareness of specific treatments varied, with 56.2% knowing insulin but only 15% recognizing metformin.
- Students in English medium schools and those residing in semi-urban/urban areas demonstrated significantly higher levels of diabetes knowledge compared to their counterparts.
Conclusions:
- A significant gap exists in diabetes knowledge among secondary school students in Bangladesh, highlighting the need for improved health education.
- Educational medium and geographic location are key determinants of diabetes awareness, suggesting tailored approaches are necessary.
- This study provides crucial data for developing effective, nationwide interventions to enhance diabetes literacy and prevention strategies among Bangladeshi youth.
Abstract:
Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a global public health concern. DM has been increasing alarmingly among the young people and childhood-onset has now become an emerging issue worldwide. Unlike other chronic diseases, DM requires constant and active attention of the patients, sometimes of their family members for successful management of this disease. Knowledge, attitude, and practices make significant differences at the population level, which largely depend on socioeconomic status, area of residence, level of education, and other socio-demographic attributes. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among secondary school students in grades 6 through 10 attending schools in 18 districts of Bangladesh. A total of 2009 students were enrolled for the study from the selected schools and madrasas from Bengali, English, and Arabic medium. The majority of responders (79.34%) reported that they had heard of diabetes, however, only 45% knew that diabetes can cause blood glucose levels to rise. Among different therapeutic options, only 15% of students had heard the name of metformin, while 56.2% were familiar with insulin. English medium students were significantly more likely to have good knowledge than the Bangla medium students (19.31%, OR: 1. 44; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.95). Respondents of semi-urban (19.66%, OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.21, 2.36) and urban (18.47%, OR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.17, 1.86) areas were more likely to have good knowledge than rural areas. Of the respondents, 20.61% did not know of any diabetic treatment options. Only a small percentage of students (11%) attended any diabetes education classes and 10.7% of students followed any recommended diabetes prevention methods. Knowledge, attitude, and practice related to diabetes were found to have been influenced by socioeconomic factors, societal practices, and behavioral patterns. This is the first nationwide research study in Bangladesh among secondary school students to study knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to diabetes. With a focus on Bangladesh's youthful population, this study sought to provide an informational framework that can be supportive for effective intervention to increase knowledge of diabetes and its implications.
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