Medical Students and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Knowledge and Approach

Objective: To see the approach of medical students of Bolan University of Medical and Health
Sciences Quetta about the knowledge of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
Methodology: This cross sectional descriptive study was carried out on MBBS students of Bolan
University of Medical and Health Sciences Quetta Pakistan from 1st May 2017 to 30 June 2017 (two
months). The sample size was 200 students. The questionnaire included 12 questions about diabetes
mellitus, related to general knowledge of Type 2 diabetes mellitus. The students were divided into two
groups. The group I was the students who think that they have knowledge of type 2 diabetes mellitus
and the group II was the students who think that they have poor or deficient knowledge of type 2
diabetes mellitus. Each question was allocated 5 marks. After giving marks to all replied questions,
the total 60 marks for 12 questions were further categorized as; A score of less than 20 poor, 21-30
average, 31-40 good, ˃ 40 excellent. The results were analyzed by SPSS.
Results: There were 174 (87.0%) students who had some knowledge of type 2 diabetes mellitus,
while 26 (13.0%) had no any knowledge of diabetes mellitus. The students having age of 20 years or
more were 126 (63%) where majority 107 (53.5%) were studying in second year. There were 102
(51%) male and 98 (49%) female students. The knowledge of investigation and diagnostic criteria for
type 2 diabetes mellitus were found significant amongst all. The knowledge of etiology, symptoms,
course, treatment and complications were found insignificant. Only 10 (5%) students had excellent
knowledge of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Conclusion: The students having an age of more than 20 years had excellent and more knowledge
of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The problems of diabetes mellitus among relatives of students and friends,
its causative factors, symptoms and course was found insignificant. The knowledge of diagnostic test
and interpretation had a positive correlation but insignificant. Majority of students 96 (48%) had
average knowledge of diabetes mellitus.