Knowledge and awareness about microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus among Taif University medical students.
cross_sectional · Level IV
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 42023340.
- Also identified by DOI 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1457_25 and PMC identifier 13098869.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-SA.
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Abstract
Microvascular complications are among the most significant long-term consequences of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and primarily include diabetic neuropathy, nephropathy, and retinopathy. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and awareness of microvascular complications of DM among medical students at Taif University, aiming to identify gaps and develop targeted educational interventions to improve patient care and health outcomes. This cross-sectional study gathered data through a self-administered questionnaire designed to evaluate the students' knowledge and awareness of the microvascular complications of DM. This study assessed 669 participants. Most participants (<i>n</i> = 337, 50.4%) were aged 18-20 years, and gender distribution was nearly balanced (males: <i>n</i> = 348, 52.0%; females: <i>n</i> = 321, 48.0%). Notably, 345 (51.6%) had no clinical exposure to diabetic patients, and 364 (54.4%) did not attend diabetes-specific training. A majority rated their knowledge of DM as "Good" (<i>n</i> = 288, 43.0%), with 209 (31.2%) identifying all Type II DM (T2DM) risk factors. Clinical exposure (<i>P</i> = 0.003) and training (<i>P</i> = 0.004) were significantly associated with higher knowledge scores. Additionally, 347 (51.9%) recognized glycemic control as essential for preventing complications. Knowledge of risk factors was also linked to higher awareness scores (<i>P</i> < 0.001). Students with "Good to Excellent" diabetes knowledge had significantly higher awareness scores (<i>P</i> = 0.002). This study revealed gaps in knowledge and awareness of diabetic microvascular complications among medical students, with clinical exposure and diabetes-specific training significantly improving knowledge scores. Enhancing education on glycemic control and risk factors through targeted interventions can improve students' preparedness in managing and preventing diabetes-related complications effectively.