Assessment of the awareness of patients with type 2 diabetes of their disease: A multi-center cross-sectional study in Lebanon

Background: This study aims to estimate the knowledge, attitude, and practices of patients with diabetes towards the disease and to assess the predictors of a higher awareness of diabetes. Methods: A multi-center cross-sectional study was performed targeting 384 patients from five endocrinology clinics in Lebanon. A self-reported survey was developed and validated and an awareness score was generated. Results: Around 18% of patients reported that they stopped taking diabetes medication when feeling good and 21.1% stopped them when in bad health status. In the case of hyperglycemia, 16.6% said that they doubled the dose of medication, and 14.6% stopped taking it when fasting. The mean awareness score of patients was 15.7±3.9 over 25. After adjusting for covariates, The odds for higher awareness were 2.24 and 3.11 times higher among patients with higher education levels. These odds were 38% lower among patients with medical assistance at home. Physical activity significantly increased the odds of high awareness than those not practicing. Conclusion: Moderate awareness was noted among patients with lower knowledge of the symptoms of diabetes and good practices. Practice implications: Based on the findings of this study, healthcare stakeholders can explore the knowledge gaps and promote targeted interventions.