Keywords
Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetes education
Eye-care
Tanzania
Categories
How to Cite
Abstract
Objective: To assess the level of diabetes education, diabetes eye-care delivery knowledge and awareness
about diabetic retinopathy among patients attending diabetes clinics in selected regional and tertiary
hospitals in Tanzania.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 6 regional and all 4 zonal tertiary referral
hospitals in Tanzania. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to about 413 systematically
sampled patients to explore their demographics, diabetes health education, awareness about diabetic
retinopathy and eye-care, and challenges encountered when accessing diabetic eye care services.
Results: A total of 413 patients were recruited. Seventy one (8.6%) patients were type-1, and 336 (81.3%)
type-2. Two hundred and fifty five (61.8%) had diabetes for 1-10 years. Three hundred and twenty two
(77.9%) had received diabetes education. Receiving diabetes education was significantly associated with
level of education (p<0.0001), residential region (p<0.0001) and occupational status (p<0.007). Nurses
and doctors were the leading providers of diabetes education reported by 243 (75.5%) and 196 (47.5%)
patients. Radio, television, brochures/posters, relatives and friends were the least mentioned sources
of diabetes education. Education messages delivered were diabetic diet (390, 94.4%); control of: blood
sugar (226, 54.7%), blood-pressure (49, 12%); eye-care (62, 15%), feet-care (62,15%) and 45 (11%) exercise.
Twenty four (5.8%) patients were aware about the need for yearly eye examination. One hundred and
twenty three (29.8%) had previous eye examination. Shortage of staff in facilities providing diabetes-care;
inadequate drugs and equipment for monitoring blood sugar were the main challenges.
Conclusions and recommendations: Although diabetes education is provided to most patients
attending diabetes clinics in Tanzania, patients have limited awareness about diabetic complications
in particular diabetic retinopathy including the need for yearly eye examination which would make
strategies to implement health promotion and prevention of diabetic retinopathy blindness difficulty.
Strategies to improve diabetes education are required.
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