Knowledge, Practice, and Associated Factors of Insulin Self-Administration in Patients With Diabetes at Dessie City Governmental Hospital Follow Up Clinic, Amhara Region, North East Ethiopia: Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Aims

Diabetes mellitus is an increasingly prevalent medical condition. The primary method of treating high blood sugar levels is subcutaneous insulin therapy. However, insufficient knowledge and poor practice related to insulin can negatively impact its effectiveness and adherence. Diabetic patients who are unaware of proper insulin self-administration can experience severe complications. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess knowledge, practices, and associated factors related to the self-administration of insulin among diabetic patients.

Methods

An institutional cross-sectional study used interviewer-administered questionnaires from April 1, 2022, to June 30, 2022. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize sociodemographic data. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to measure the associations between the dependent and independent variables. A p value of less than 0.05 was generally considered statistically significant.

Results

In this study, 69.3% of participants had good knowledge and 63.9% had good practice. In multiple logistic regressions, patients' occupation, type of diabetes, membership in the Ethiopian Diabetic Association, and the source of information about diabetes (from health professionals or media) were associated with knowledge of self-administration of insulin. On the other hand, younger age (18–24 years) and duration of insulin therapy > 9 years were associated with good practice of self-administration of insulin.

Conclusion

The study found that patients had suboptimal knowledge and practice regarding insulin self-administration. Patients must receive adequate education to address these knowledge gaps and improve insulin therapy outcomes.