A cross-sectional study of knowledge and awareness of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a student population in Ghana: do demographics and lifestyle make a difference

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic characteristics of participants (n = 726).

Variable	n (%)
Age – Mean(SD) 20.6(1.9)
Sex
Male	330 (45.5)
Female	396 (54.5)
Degree of study
Bsc family and consumer sciences	239 (32.9)
Bsc business administration	238 (32.8)
Psychology	249 (34.3)
Level of study
Level 100	130 (17.9)
Level 200	220 (30.3)
Level 300	229 (31.5)
Level 400	147 (20.2)
Family history of diabetes
Yes	226 (31.1)
No	500 (68.9)
Type of family members with diabetes
Nuclear family	57 (25.2)
Extended family	152 (67.3)
Both	14 (6.2)
Did not indicate	3 (1.3)
Maintaining healthy eating
Yes	551 (75.9)
No	169 (23.3)
Did not indicate	6 (0.8)
Engaging in physical exercise
Yes	318 (43.8)
No	401 (55.2)
Did not indicate	7 (1.0)
Sources of information
Newspaper and magazine	623 (85.8)
School	458 (63.1)
Lectures and seminars	400 (55.1)
Social function	357 (49.2)
Television and radio	289 (39.8)
Health facility	278 (38.3)
Church, Mosque	188 (25.9)
Posters	157 (21.6)
Family and friends	142 (19.6)
Other sources	31 (4.3)

Table 2. Correct responses of participants on knowledge and awareness of type 2 diabetes scale.

Questions	n	%
General knowledge and awareness	726	51.5
Symptoms of diabetes	726	41.2
1. Excessive thirst is a symptom of diabetes	178	24.5
2. Weight loss is a symptom of diabetes	215	29.6
3. Feeling constantly tired than usual is a symptom of diabetes	381	52.5
4. Frequent urination, especially at night, is a symptom of diabetes	391	53.9
5. Losing weight despite a normal appetite is a symptom of diabetes	225	31.0
6. Diarrhoea is a symptom of diabetes	290	39.9
7. Weakness is a symptom of diabetes	383	52.8
8. Slow healing of cuts and wounds are symptoms of diabetes	501	69.0
9. Blurriness of vision is a symptom of diabetes	251	34.6
10. Numbness of hands and feet is a symptom of diabetes	281	38.7
11. Loss of appetite is a symptom of diabetes	190	26.2
Treatment of diabetes	726	64.8
1. Regular exercise is important for diabetes treatment	627	86.4
2. Tablets are available for the control of diabetes	581	80
3. A regular exercise regimen will help to cure diabetes	179	24.7
4. People with diabetes should eat healthily	697	96.0
5. Once diabetes is controlled, exercise is no longer required	672	92.6
6. Insulin injections are available for the control of diabetes	568	78.2
7. Diabetes treatment requires good weight control	556	76.6
8. Insulin injections can cure diabetes	311	42.8
9. Once diabetes is controlled, eating restrictions are no longer required	648	89.3
10. People with diabetes can lead a normal life once their sugar levels are well controlled	588	81.0
11. No diet control is needed after tablets are taken	625	86.1
12. People with diabetes should care for their toes and feet well	315	43.4
13. People with diabetes should have low fat and high fibre diet	475	65.4
14. People with diabetes should not skip meals, especially when busy	408	56.2
15. People with diabetes should carry sweets when they go out	74	10.2
16.People with diabetes should not test their blood glucose level at home	463	63.8
17. Every person with diabetes will eventually use insulin injections	209	28.8
Complications of diabetes	726	44.6
1. When diabetes is left untreated, it can lead to blindness	239	32.9
2. Wounds in people with diabetes heal more quickly	593	81.7
3. Complication of diabetes may be seen in nerves	200	27.5
4. Poorly controlled diabetes can result in stroke	445	61.3
5. When diabetes is left untreated, it can cause back pains	37	5.1
6. Diabetes complications can cause hypertension	441	60.7
7. Diabetes complications can cause heart disease	435	59.9
8. Diabetes complications can cause cancer	69	9.5
9. Sexual impotence is not a complication of diabetes	192	26.4
10. Eye problems can result from diabetes complication	363	50.0
11. Diabetes complications can result in amputation	455	62.7
12. Diabetes complications can cause foot problems	385	53.0
13. Long term complications of diabetes cannot be prevented	221	30.4
14. Diabetes complications can cause kidney problems	393	54.1
15. Diabetes complications cannot affect a pregnant woman	378	52.1
16. Diabetes can cause male sexual dysfunction	337	46.4

Table 3. Correct responses of participants on knowledge and awareness of type 2 diabetes per discipline of study (%).

Questions	Fam. Cons Sci	Admin	Psych
Symptoms of diabetes	34.4	28.5	37.1
1. Excessive thirst is a symptom of diabetes	33.7	31.5	34.8
3. Weight loss is a symptom of diabetes	32.6	27.4	40.0
4. Feeling constantly tired than usual is a symptom of diabetes	35.2	27.6	37.3
6. Frequent urination, especially at night, is a symptom of diabetes	33.8	28.9	37.3
7. Losing weight despite a normal appetite is a symptom of diabetes	34.7	28.9	36.4
8. Diarrhoea is a symptom of diabetes	34.5	24.1	41.4
10. Weakness is a symptom of diabetes	34.5	29.2	36.3
12. Slow healing of cuts and wounds are symptoms of diabetes	33.9	29.9	36.1
13. Blurriness of vision is a symptom of diabetes	35.9	27.9	36.3
14. Numbness of hands and feet is a symptom of diabetes	33.8	28.1	38.1
15. Loss of appetite is a symptom of diabetes	35.3	30.5	34.2
Treatment of diabetes	35.1	30.6	34.3
1. Regular exercise is important for diabetes treatment	33.0	32.1	34.9
2. Tablets are available for the control of diabetes	32.4	32.5	35.1
3. A regular exercise regimen will help cure diabetes	35.8	25.1	39.1
4. People with diabetes should eat healthily	33.4	32	34.6
5. Once diabetes is controlled, exercise is no longer required	33.9	31.4	34.7
8. Insulin injections are available for the control of diabetes	35.7	30.8	33.5
9. Diabetes treatment requires good weight control	33.3	31.8	34.9
10. Insulin injections can cure diabetes	36.7	28.9	34.4
11. Once diabetes is controlled, eating restrictions are no longer required	34.7	30.6	34.7
12. People with diabetes can lead a ‘normal’ life once their sugar levels are well controlled	33.0	31.3	35.7
13. No diet control is needed after tablets are taken	34.2	29.9	35.8
15. People with diabetes should care for their toes and feet well	35.6	29.8	34.6
16. People with diabetes should have low fat and high fibre diet	30.5	31.4	38.1
17. People with diabetes should not skip meals especially when busy	35.8	31.6	32.6
18. People with diabetes should carry sweets when they go out	27.0	39.2	33.8
19. People with diabetes should not test their blood glucose level at home	35.2	29.4	35.4
20. Every person with diabetes will eventually use insulin injections	42.6	23.0	34.4
Complications of diabetes	37.1	27.6	35.3
1. When diabetes is left untreated, it can lead to blindness	33.9	31.4	34.7
2. Wounds in people with diabetes heal more quickly	36.4	28.3	35.2
3. Complication of diabetes may be seen in nerves	41.0	27.5	31.5
4. Poorly controlled diabetes can result in stroke	34.8	29.9	35.3
5. When diabetes is left untreated, it can cause back pains	48.6	18.9	32.4
6. Diabetes complications can cause hypertension	34.9	30.2	34.9
7. Diabetes complications can cause heart disease	34.3	29.7	36.1
8. Diabetes complications can cause cancer	39.1	23.2	37.7
9. Sexual impotence is not a complication of diabetes	37.0	26.0	37.0
10. Eye problems can result from diabetes complications	34.4	30.3	35.3
11. Diabetes complications can result in amputation	33.8	29.5	36.7
12. Diabetes complications can cause foot problems	34.3	27.8	37.9
13. Long term complications of diabetes cannot be prevented	40.7	27.1	32.1
14. Diabetes complications can cause kidney problems	37.9	29.0	33.1
15. Diabetes complications cannot affect a pregnant woman	37.8	27.8	34.4
16. Diabetes can cause male sexual dysfunction	34.7	24.3	40.9

Table 4. Factorial MANOVA comparing type 2 diabetes knowledge and awareness on demographic and lifestyle variables.

Variable	Symptoms	Treatment	Complication	Overall knowledge
Maximum score	11	17	16	44
Age – Mean (SD) 20.6 (1.9)
Sex(p value)	F ( 1, 726) = 0.80, p = .37, η^2 = .001	F ( 1, 726) = 12.19, p = .001, η^2 = .017*	F ( 1, 726) = 0.78, p = .38, η^2 = .001	F ( 1, 726) = 1.61, p = .21, η^2 = .002
Male	4.45 (2.85)	10.54 (3.04)	7.35 (3.65)	22.34 (8.04)
Female	4.49 (2.83)	11.41 (2.77)	6.96 (3.28)	22.96 (7.37)
Degree of study(p value)	F ( 2, 726) = 7.50, p = .001, η^2 = .021*	F ( 2, 726) = 9.58, p = .0001, η^2 = .027**	F ( 2, 726) = 12.06, p = 0001, η^2 = .033**	F ( 2, 726) = 13.71, p = .0001, η^2 = .038**
Bsc family and consumer	4.72 (2.78)	11.42 (2.62)	7.79 (3.36)	23.94 (7.25)
Bsc business Admin	3.94 (2.9)	10.36 (3.40)	6.21 (3.57)	20.50 (8.34)
BA psychology	4.90 (2.84)	11.25 (2.60)	7.40 (3.25)	22.68 (7.68)
Level of study(p value)	F ( 3, 726) = 0.02, p = 1.0, η^2 = .000	F ( 3, 726) = 1.17, p = .32, η^2 = .005	F ( 3, 726) = 1.56, p = .20, η^2 = .007	F ( 3, 726) = 0.81, p = .49, η^2 = .003
Level 100	4.70 (2.85)	10.91 (2.80)	6.75 (3.28)	22.35 (7.53)
Level 200	4.52 (2.92)	10.94 (2.82)	7.04 (3.56)	22.50 (7.82)
Level 300	4.51 (2.62)	11.09 (2.72)	7.48 (3.22)	23.07 (7.04)
Level 400	4.41 (2.80)	11.10 (3.47)	7.14 (3.46)	22.63 (8.56)
Family history of diabetes	F ( 1, 726) = 11.18, p = .001, η^2 = .016*	F ( 1, 726) = 17.38, p = .0001, η^2 = .024**	F ( 1, 726) = 5.26, p = .02, η^2 = .007*	F ( 1, 726) = 15.15, p = .0001, η^2 = .021**
Yes	5.25 (2.80)	11.86 (2.71)	7.93 (3.41)	25.04 (7.19)
No	4.18 (2.80)	10.59 (2.93)	6.79 (3.43)	21.55 (7.67)
Maintaining healthy eating	F ( 1, 726) = 2.02, p =  .16, η^2 = .003	F ( 1, 726) = 0.04, p= .85, η^2 = .000	F ( 1, 726) = 12.75, p = .0001, η^2 = .018**	F(1, 726) = 4.93, p = .03, η^2 = .007*
Yes	4.64 (2.89)	11.03 (2.92)	7.41 (3.47)	23.09 (7.77)
No	4.10 (2.65)	10.80 (2.91)	6.25 (3.30)	21.15 (7.25)
Engaging in physical exercise	F(1, 726) = 3.35, p= .07, η^2 = .005	F(1, 726) = 3.38, p= .07, η^2 = .005	F(1, 726) = 1.89, p= .17, η^2 = .003	F(1, 726) = 4.06, p = .04, η^2 = .006*
Yes	4.83 (2.82)	11.32 (2.73)	7.68 (3.43)	23.83 (7.44)
No	4.27 (2.85)	10.71 (3.04)	6.71 (3.43)	21.69 (7.76)

*p < 0.05.

**p < 0.001.