Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Towards Diabetes Self-Management Among People Living With Diabetes at Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda.

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus poses a growing public health challenge in Uganda and similar resource-limited settings. Effective diabetes self-management requires adequate knowledge, positive attitudes, access to care, medication adherence, dietary modification, physical activity, blood glucose monitoring, and foot care. Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital serves a diverse catchment population, including refugee communities, yet local data on diabetes-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-management practices remain limited.

OBJECTIVE

To assess diabetes-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-management practices among people living with diabetes at Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital and to identify selected sociodemographic and access-related factors associated with self-management practices.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional study, 383 patients with diabetes were recruited from outpatient and inpatient settings. Data were collected through structured interviewer-administered questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS v15, applying descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression (p < 0.05).

RESULTS

Among 383 participants (mean age 53.9 years), most were Ugandan, male, married, and unemployed. Only 24.5% demonstrated good knowledge, while 41.8% had poor knowledge. Awareness of causes and complications was high, but understanding of types, hereditary risks, and suitable foods was limited. While medication adherence was strong (91.7%), only 30.5% monitored blood glucose once a week or more, 49.1% inspected their feet daily, and 59.7% engaged in physical activity at least three times per week. Cost and access were key barriers. Attitude was a stronger predictor of self-care than knowledge.

CONCLUSION

Patients at Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital demonstrated high medication adherence and generally positive attitudes, but important gaps remained in detailed diabetes knowledge, blood glucose monitoring, foot care, and access to support resources. Findings support structured, culturally appropriate diabetes education and improved access to self-management supplies and follow-up support. Because objective glycemic indicators were not collected, conclusions are limited to self-reported self-management practices rather than measured glycemic control.