Diabetic Retinopathy: Assessing the Impact of Patient Awareness on Disease Severity in a General Hospital, Zaria.

Abstract

Background: Patients with the severe form of diabetic retinopathy (DR) tend to have poorer quality of life and reduced levels of physical, emotional, and social well-being. If DR is left untreated, it leads to vision loss. Obstacles to early detection of DR need to be investigated and addressed to decrease debility from the disease. Awareness of DR by diabetic patients is one of such obstacles, hence prompting this study.

Objectives: To determine the association between the awareness and severity of DR among adult diabetic patients attending the Outpatient Department (OPD) Clinic of Hajiya Gambo Sawaba General Hospital, Zaria (HGSGH).

Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional, hospital-based study conducted in the Outpatient Clinic of HGSGH, Kofan-Gayan, Zaria, over three months. Consenting diabetic patients who presented for follow-up in the OPD Clinic were selected by systematic sampling. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered for socio-demographic data, patients' history, and awareness of DR.

Results: Out of the 270 participants, 98 (36.3%) were males, and 172 (63.7%) were females. Only one hundred and fifty-four (57.0%) of patients were aware that diabetes mellitus (DM) affects the back of the eye (DR). Awareness that DM affects the back of the eye (DR) was statistically associated with the presence of DR, the severity of the DR, and the educational status of the studied patients (P value < 0.05).

Conclusion: Increasing public awareness and knowledge regarding this potentially blinding illness will be a big step in preventing the burden of the disease.