Assistant Professor, Community Medicine, Sri Siddhartha Medical College, Tumkur, Karnataka 527107, India.1 Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, JSS Medical College, Mysuru, Karnataka 570015, India.2 Professor, Department of Community Medicine, JSS Medical College, Mysuru, Karnataka 570015, India.3 Professor, Department of Community Medicine, JSS Medical College, Mysuru, Karnataka 570015, India.4 Professor, Department of Community Medicine, JSS Medical College, Mysuru, Karnataka
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Background: Diabetes Mellitus is a multisystem disorder that is associated with number of complications. Patient's awareness and practices are crucial components in reducing the burden of diseases and its complications. Healthcare seeking behaviour is important as it determines acceptance of health care and outcomes of chronic conditions but it has been investigated to a limited extent in the developing countries. Objectives: 1) To Asses the Health Seeking Behaviour of Type II Diabetes Patients 2) To Assess the factors Influencing the Health Seeking Behaviour. Materials and Methodology: A Cross-sectional study of 200 Type II Diabetic Patients at JSS Hospital, Mysuru was conducted, Assessment of Health Seeking Behaviour using semistructered questionnaire was done. Descriptive statistics like proportionand Inferential statistics like chi-square test was done. Results: Among 200 study participants 53.5% of study subjects belongs to age group 41-60 yrs, 57.5% were males, 67.5% belongs to lower socio-economic class according to BG Prasad classification, 85% were married, 51% were Obese, 44.5% were having family history of Diabetes, 48% were having Hypertension, 68.5% were on oral hypoglycemic agents, 10.5% were on Insulin, 20.5% were on both oral hypoglycaemic agents and Insulin. 163 (81.5%) were anxious when they were diagnosed to have Diabetes, 123 (61.5%) were influenced by themselves to go for investigations, 68 (34%) were influenced by Doctors to visit hospital, 131 (65.5%) had no money as the barrier to attend hospital for check-up, 186 (93%) visit hospital once in less than 3 months, 180 (90%) of them believed oral drugs are the treatment for Diabetes, 188 (94%) prefer Allopathic medicine. Conclusion: Health seeking behaviour is the important factor which influence on the glycaemic status of Diabetes Mellitus Patients, Improving the Knowledge about disease and management plays a very important role in reducing the burden of complications.
Keywords:Diabetes Mellitus; Glycaemic Status; Health Seeking Behaviour
Corresponding Author : Savitha Rani BB, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Community Medicine, Sri Siddhartha Medical College, Tumkur, Karnataka 527107, India