Assessment of Knowledge about the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases in Type 2 Diabetes Patients in Tertiary Care Hospitals of Islamabad, Rawalpindi

Abstract

A cross sectional study was carried out at tertiary care hospitals in Islamabad, Rawalpindi to evaluate the level of knowledge and awareness, involving 150 patients with type 2 diabetes regarding the risks associated with cardiovascular disease. The data collection tool was HDFQ including its (twentyfive) items used in this purpose to collect data from the Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, as they are more prone to develop CVDs, which are recognized as the global cause of deaths. Additionally, the research sample was consisted of 46% females and 54% males. In this study, more than 80% of the respondents correctly recognized Obesity, High blood pressure, smoking and aging as the vital risk factors of CVD. Moreover, gender differences have been noticed, as well as misconceptions regarding health outcomes. Other than that, this research assessed the current knowledge regarding cardiovascular disease risks, and no association was observed between the knowledge level and sociodemographic variables like diabetes duration, monthly income, and respondents’ level of education. Also, the findings highlighted the current knowledge level and the knowledge gaps which require consideration.