Análise do grau de conhecimento em diabetes dos pacientes diabéticos atendidos no HULW-UFPB

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a high impact disease in terms of prevalence, costs to the health system and morbidity and mortality. Despite considerable therapeutic advances, obtaining good glycemic control and consequently lower rates of chronic and acute complications is still too difficult. It is well known that part of this difficulty in obtaining good values of glycated hemoglobin (Hb1Ac) and fasting glycemia is due to the difficult adherence to treatments. We seek to study and graduate the general knowledge of patients about the disease and how much it impacts adherence to the change in style due to and regular use of medications. Objectives: To analyze the knowledge of diabetic patients regarding basic aspects of their disease and its treatment, as well as to identify the general aspects of the disease that patients understand less and are more uninformed. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study with a quantitative, descriptive and exploratory approach, applying a diabetes knowledge questionnaire validated for Brazil and a clinical questionnaire made by the authors. Results: Due to the covid-19 pandemic, data collection and questionnaires were made impossible. Discussion: The literature shows a good correlation between knowledge about diabetes and low levels of the main metabolic markers: total cholesterol and fractions, fasting glucose, triglycerides and Hb1Ac. This all reflects a more optimized therapeutic adherence among well-educated patients about their disease. Conclusion: If the proposed data collection was carried out, it was expected to obtain better glycemic parameters among patients with a high educational level, according to the reviewed literature. In addition, the present study project can be of great value in making an epidemiological design of diabetic patients seen at the research institution.