Abstract

Background: Diabetes is a chronic non-communicable disease that requires active participation of the patient in its management to achieve satisfactory glycemic control, and prevent or delay acute and chronic complications.

Objective: The study aims to quantify the self-care practices being adopted by diabetics in rural Nalgonda to identify thrust areas for patient-educational activities.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC) in Cherlapally village of Nalgonda district. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection from known diabetics.

Results: A total of 70 diabetics (46 females, 24 males) were included in the study. The mean age of the study participants was 59.6 years and average duration of diabetes was 9.4 years. The study revealed that, although the patients adherence with treatment and periodic monitoring of blood glycemic levels were satisfactory, there were unacceptable gaps in other self-care practices i.e. diet control, exercise, avoidance of tobacco, foot care and preparedness for acute complications of diabetes.

Conclusion: The study found that prevalence of good self care practices related to diabetes was satisfactory in respect to regular treatment and blood sugar monitoring. However, there is considerable scope for improvement in other areas

Key Words: Diabetes mellitus, Nalgonda, Self-care practices