Knowledge of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus on Nutritional Management: A Study at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra

Abstract

The rising mortality rate of diabetes mellitus and the upsurge in diabetes complications is very alarming. This has been attributed to the poor knowledge patients living with diabetes have on diabetes and its management, especially the nutritional management. This study sought to explore the knowledge on nutritional management of diabetes mellitus among patients living with diabetes mellitus who attended clinic at the National Diabetes Management and Research Centre of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. An exploratory descriptive qualitative research design was used for this study. Purposive sampling was used to recruit fifteen participants for the study. The participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide which was developed using the Information-Motivation-Behavioural Skills model which defined the research objectives and served as the organizing framework for the study. Data was analyzed using thematic content analysis approach, out of which five main themes emerged. The main themes identified were knowledge on nutritional management of diabetes, motivation to undertake nutritional management of diabetes, support systems relied on in the care and management of diabetes, skills or practices on nutritional management of diabetes, and challenges to adherence of optimal nutritional management of diabetes. The study revealed that the participants have adequate knowledge on the nutritional management of diabetes, they are well motivated and have varied support systems that enable them to engage in healthy eating. They also have adequate meal planning skills, and generally engage in optimal nutritional management of their condition due to their healthy dietary practices. In addition, the study found that the participants have poor knowledge on diabetes peer support groups and do not participate in such groups, as well as have deficient knowledge and skills in the reading and usage of food labels. There is the need to equip patients with diabetes with the needed knowledge and skills on food label reading, educate them on diabetes peer support groups, and integrate them into these groups. It is therefore suggested that health care professionals such as nurses and doctors should find practical and robust ways to factor these elements into patients care and management in general. It is also recommended that future research should be considered in multiple sites in order to generalize the findings. It is concluded that patients with diabetes mellitus may be able to engage in optimal nutritional management if they are motivated and offered the needed and reliable information by health care professionals such as nurses on the nutritional care of their condition.