Background: One of the consequences of the generational paradigm shift of lifestyle from the traditional African\r\nmodel to a more \"western\" standard is a replacement of communicable diseases by non-communicable or life style\r\nrelated diseases like diabetes. To address this trend, diabetes education along with continuous assessment of diabetes\r\nrelated knowledge has been advocated. Since most of the Nigerian studies assessing knowledge of diabetes were\r\nhospital-based, we decided to evaluate the diabetes related knowledge and its sociodemographic determinants in a\r\ngeneral population of diabetics.\r\nMethods: Diabetics (n = 184) attending the 2012 world diabetes day celebration in a Nigerian community were\r\nsurveyed using a two part questionnaire. Section A elicited information on their demographics characteristics and\r\nparticipation in update courses, and exercise, while section B assessed knowledge of diabetes using the 14 item\r\nMichigan Diabetes Research and Training Centre''s Brief Diabetes Knowledge Test.\r\nResults: We found that Nigerian diabetics had poor knowledge of diabetes, with pervasive fallacies. Majority did not\r\nhave knowledge of \"diabetes diet\", \"fatty food\", \"free food\", effect of unsweetened fruit juice on blood glucose, treatment\r\nof hypoglycaemia, and the average duration glycosylated haemoglobin (haemoglobin A1) test measures blood glucose.\r\nAttaining tertiary education, falling under the 51-60 years age group, frequent attendance at seminars/updates and\r\nsatisfaction with education received, being employed by or formerly working for the government, and claiming an\r\nintermediate, or wealthy income status was associated with better knowledge of diabetes.\r\nConclusion: Nigerian diabetics'' knowledge of diabetes was poor and related to age, level of education, satisfaction with\r\neducation received, employment status and household wealth.
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