Knowledge, adherence to the treatment and prevalence of neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Objective: Identify the level of knowledge, adherence and prevalence of diabetic neuropathy (NPD), determine the relationship between knowledge, adherence to treatment, time to suffer from the disease and the NPD in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who attend to control in four units of the health sector in Tampico and Cd. Madero Tamaulipas. To describe the sociodemographic characteristics of the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus that attend control in four units of the health sector in Tampico and Cd. Madero Tamaulipas.
Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional correlational study performed on a sample of 554 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who attended to control their disease in four health sector units in Tampico and Cd. Madero, Tamaulipas, the type of sampling was non-probabilistic for convenience
Results: 554 patients were surveyed, the mean age was 55 years, the mean time of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus was 10 years, 61.9% were women, 62.8% were married, 34.5% were primary and 89.5% were belonged to the lower class. The level of knowledge was insufficient in 74% of the patients, the reported adherence was 75% in the middle level and the NPD prevalence in the period was 5.5, the relationship between knowledge and adherence and time of diagnosis was statistically verified prevalence of NPD.
Conclusions: The results demonstrate the importance of education to patients since the knowledge of their disease contributes to the patient accepting and adhering to the treatment.