Knowledge about self-care and cardiovascular risk of patients with T2DM, social security beneficiaries in Ciudad Altamirano, Guerrero

Abstract

Introduction: It is necessary to understand that the knowledge of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the basis of self-care for disease control and prevention or control of cardiovascular complications.

Objective: To identify the knowledge of self-care and cardiovascular risk of patients with T2DM who are beneficiaries from the Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado (ISSSTE) [Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers] in Ciudad Altamirano, Guerrero, Mexico.

Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive study, which included 30 patients from ISSSTE diagnosed with T2DM. A structured questionnaire was administered with 35 multiple-choice test items on socio-demographic, anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical aspects, as well as knowledge on self-care, disease, complications, cardiovascular risk factors, and food nutrition. The PACAL program was used to measure biochemical markers’ reliability. Descriptive statistics, Student's t, and chi-squared tests were used.

Results: The age range that prevailed in men was 64-78 years (60%), and in women 48-63 years (53.3%). Of men, 46.8% had primary education, and 53.4% of women had bachelor's degree. 60% had more than five children (p = 0.029). 93% of women had knowledge about their self-care, but 13% have been hospitalized due to T2DM. 66.7% of all participants had knowledge about T2DM complications.

Conclusion: It is important the susceptibility to cardiovascular risk in the study population. Yet, even though this population has knowledge about T2DM, modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors are also present in said population.