Self care situation in diabetic patients referring to Kashan Diabetes Center, in 2005

Self care in diabetic patients is very important not only from hygienic views, but also from society’s economical aspects. The goal of this study is assessment of knowledge of diabetic patients about self-care, in those referring to Kashan Diabetes Center. This descriptive- analytic study is conducted on 300 of 1400 diabetic patients who had medical records in Kashan Diabetes Center, with the use of random sampling method. Data were collected by completion of questionnaire containing demographic information, patients’ self care (considering three aspects: observation, function and family function), Foot care and patient knowledge level. To determine the relationship between self care and studied variants statistical tests x2, T test, sideway analytic variance test, OR, and CI were used. Out of 300 patients, 214 (71.3%) were women and 86 (28.7%) were men, with a diabetes duration of 10.6 ± 6.5 years. Self care situation had a meaningful relationship with the patients’ education and diabetes duration. The longer the diabetes duration, the better was the level of self care. So, even the uneducated people had a well self-care. The type of treatment and marital status had relationship only with legs self care. Based on the results of this study and the discrepancy in some demographic characteristics of patients with different dimension of self-care and knowledge, it is recommended that the education in diabetes center should be more practical and emphasize on behavioral changes, altering attitude, and feeling of self sufficiency.