Knowledge of Type II Diabetic Patients About Their Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Knowledge is the critical component to counter the harmful side-effects of chronic diseases. Diabetic patients can manage their disease based on their diabetes knowledge and following good self-care behavior. Various studies about patients' knowledge of diabetes show different results. The purpose of this study is to estimate the overall knowledge score of Iranian patients about diabetes.

In the current study, ten papers published by September 2018 were identified without time limitation. A literature search for the papers was conducted using the keywords: Iran, diabetes, knowledge, and their combinations. The necessary data were extracted and analyzed through meta-analysis using the random-effects model. The I2 statistic was used to measure the heterogeneity among the studies. The data were analyzed using Stata software (Version 11).

The pooled estimate of the knowledge score of type II diabetes patients about their diabetes was 64% (95% CI: 52%-76%). According to the meta-regression results, there was no relationship between the knowledge score with age (P = 0.487), duration of disease (P = 0.406), and the sample size (P = 0.146). The patients' knowledge score had experienced an uptrend between 2004 and 2017, the years at which the oldest and the most recent articles were published (P = 0.06).

Iranian patients' knowledge about their diabetes was at an average level. Education, along with medication, can significantly reduce short and long-term complications of diabetes.