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decades, there has been increasing investment by health systems of many countries,
recognizing that its optimization is fostered by the knowledge of the general
components of these processes, and also their regional specificities.
Diabetes affects approximately 387 million people in the world, representing a
prevalence rate of 8.3%, with 77% cases occurring in low and middle income
countries [1], giving it a pandemic character. It is estimated that 46.3% of cases are
not diagnosed and that in 2035 about 592 million people will be diabetic.
In Portugal, in 2013, it is estimated that the total prevalence of diabetes was 13%,
in people between 20 and 79 years of age, and approximately 5.7% not yet identified.
It affects more than 1 million Portuguese, in this age group, with significant statistical
differences between men (15.6%) and women (10.7%) [2].
The increase in the
number of hospitalizations associated with diabetic foot and lower limb amputations,
contrary to the previous downward trend, make up some of the concerns.
Also in the Alto Minho it turns out that, in the population under the age of 75
years, the evolution of standardized mortality rate (by 100,000 inhabitants) in the
three-year period 2009-2011, was higher in men (11.5‰) when compared to that
recorded in the northern region (10.6‰) and even in the main land (11.0‰) [3].
The current study aims thus, in a creative and innovative logic, at promoting a
participatory and collaborative action, with (and not for) people with type 2 diabetes and
their families, built on the basis of the objective analysis of their diabetes literacy, the
perception of their self-control ability regarding the condition and their QoL. In the line
of some researchers, we seek to create value from the assessment of knowledge and
skills that promote empowerment [4], the understanding and the use of information in
informed decision making in the management of the disease [4], [5], [6] and the
appropriate use of health services [7], [8].
After the study background, this paper presents the methods, some results and the
corresponding discussion. At the end, the main conclusions are presented.
2
Methods
This study aims at evaluating the knowledge of the diabetic individual about his/her
disease and ability of self-control in type 2 diabetes. The results obtained will help
design more effective programs to promote health and QoL, with the consequent
reduction of costs regarding the monitoring of the pathology. It is intended, therefore, to
assess the ability of self-control, knowledge about diabetes and health related QoL of
people with type 2 diabetes, followed at Santa Luzia Hospital - ULSAM, EPE. We also
seek to study the relationship between the aspects under evaluation, socio-demographic
(gender, age, education and physical exercise) and clinical variables (diagnostic time,
glycated hemoglobin and body mass index - BMI). It is thus a transversal, descriptive-
correlational study
The population was constituted by people with type 2 diabetes followed in the
ambulatory of the above mentioned hospital, in a total of 954 elements. The sample size
was based on a confidence level of 95% and a maximum sampling error of 5.2% [4]. We
obtained a sample of 260 individuals, with the following inclusion criteria: diagnosis of
type 2 diabetes more than one year before, be accompanied on multidisciplinary
consultation for at least three months, and have an age of 18 years or more.
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