DIABETIC PATIENTS

Effective glycemic control is essential for preventing diabetes-related complications, yet knowledge gaps and practice barriers persist among patients in resource-limited settings. This study examined knowledge, practices, and factors affecting glycemic control among diabetic patients at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. A cross- sectional descriptive study was conducted among 174 adult diabetic patients attending the Consultant Outpatient Department. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics. While 62% demonstrated overall good knowledge, critical deficits emerged in technical understanding: only 16.7% correctly defined glycemic control, 2.9% recognized HbA1c testing, and 26.4% understood appropriate monitoring frequency. Conversely, over 90% correctly identified symptoms, lifestyle modifications, and complications. Self-management practices were generally good (mean 3.37), with high medication adherence (85.6%) and clinic attendance (91.4%), but poor blood glucose monitoring (mean 3.20) and foot care (mean 2.47). Financial barriers emerged as primary impediments: 82.7% found glucometer kits too expensive, 58.6% struggled to afford medications, and 85.7% found monitoring painful. Additionally, 69% perceived cultural foods as incompatible with diabetes control, and 44.9% lacked glucometer use skills.Despite good symptom awareness and medication adherence, critical gaps in technical knowledge and substantial financial barriers limit effective glycemic self-management. Interventions must address both educational deficits in monitoring competence and structural barriers through subsidized supplies, skills training, and culturally adapted dietary counseling.

This study investigated nutritional knowledge and dietary habits among diabetic patients in a tertiary health institution, Edo State. The study aims to ascertain level of nutritional knowledge of diabetes among patients with diabetes, dietary habits of pa tients with diabetes and the factors influencing food consumption pattern of patients with diabetes attending a tertiary institution, Benin City. Three research questions were raised and answered in the study and stated hypothesis was tested at <0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a non-experimental descriptive survey design. The study population was 440 Diabetic patients attending treatment at University of Benin teaching hospital, from which a sample size of 230 respondents were selected for the study using convenient sampling method. A well-structured questionnaire instrument was drafted and used for data collection. The instrument was validated by the research supervisor and two other experts in the field. To ensure the reliability of the instrument, a pilot study was conducted and a reliability value greater than (>0.5) was obtained. The data collected were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequency count, percentages, means, Anova and graphical representation of results.The result shows that majority of the respondents have fair nutritional knowledge of diabetes. Also, majority of the respondents have poor dietary habits. Furthermore, taste preferences, emotional state, food prices, availability of healthy option are factors influencing food consumption pattern. Based on the findings, it was concluded and recommended that there should be health education by nurses to enlighten people on the importance of good dietary changes to health and mass media outlets such as television, radio, road jingles and posters etc. should be used to disseminate useful information on the importance of nutritional knowledge of diabetes