Volume 25, Issue 117, November 2021

Knowledge attitude and practice among primary health care physicians toward diabetic retinopathy in Almadinah Almunawara, Saudi Arabia in 2020

Majed Mosad Alharbi¹, Khaled Saad Alghamdi²

¹Family Medicine Resident, Almadinah Almunawara, Saudi Arabia
²Family Medicine Consultant, Almadinah Almunawara, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of primary health care physician toward diabetic retinopathy in Almadinah in 2020. Materials and methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in Almadinah Almunawara city on December, 2020 included a random sample of the Ministry of Health- primary health care physicians. Results: The study included 155 primary healthcare physicians. Almost one-third of them (36.1%) had special training on diabetes management. Majority of them (98.1%) followed any guideline for care of diabetes in practice; American Diabetic association and Saudi guidelines were followed by 69.7% and 53.9% of physicians, respectively. The total DR knowledge score ranged between 7 and 14 (out of a possible maximum of 14). Family physician had the highest score of knowledge about DR (mean rank was 90.87). Physicians who reported having special training on diabetes management expressed better knowledge about DR than others. The attitude towards DR score ranged between 14 and 28. The practice of DR score ranged between 17 and 48. Physicians who reported >40% of their seen patients were diabetics had the highest practice related to DR score (mean rank = 95). Conclusion: Knowledge and attitude of physicians working at primary healthcare centers, Ministry of Health in Almadinah Almunawara regarding DR is overall accepted. However, their practice-related to diabetic retinopathy is deficient in some important aspects.

Keywords: Diabetic retinopathy, knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Primary care physicians

Medical Science, 2021, 25(117), 2969-2986

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