Knowledge of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Among Saudi Women in a Primary Health Care Center of Almadinah Almunawarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

BackgroundGestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a type of diabetes mellitus known as any stage of glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Awareness of GDM is the first step toward its screening in pregnancy. This study was designed to assess knowledge of GDM, its screening, and risk factors among Saudi women attending primary healthcare center in Almadinah Almunawarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. MethodsThis was an observational cross-sectional study conducted on Saudi women who attended the primary healthcare centers in Almadinah Almunawarah during the study period from January 2021 to June 2021. The sampling technique used was the stratification of primary healthcare centers in Madinah. According to the Epi-Info, version 3.5.1, the minimum sample size was 292. Data collection was done using a valid, Arabic self-administered questionnaire, which was composed of two main parts: general sociodemographic data and a questionnaire to assess GDM knowledge and awareness (12 questions). Data was recorded and analyzed using SPSS version 26. ResultsIn this study, 333 women were enrolled with an age range between 18 and 60 years, with a mean of 34.31±9.21 years. Overall, more than half of the women (53.45%) had a poor level of knowledge related to GDM, whereas only 7.80% had a good level of knowledge. Results of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that women living in rural areas were at almost four-fold higher risk of having a poor level of knowledge (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.97; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.44-41.98, p=0.0031). With a oneyear increase in women's age, the risk of poor knowledge increased by 4% (aOR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.08-1.48, p=0.001). In comparison to illiterate women, university-graduated and postgraduate women had a significantly lower risk of poor knowledge (aOR: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01-0.31, p=0.001 and aOR: 0.19; 95% CI: 0.06-0.66, p = 0.011, respectively). ConclusionThe GDM knowledge of Saudi adult women was poor, particularly regarding risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment with insulin. However, their knowledge regarding treatment by lifestyle and diet modifications was quite acceptable.

Determinants of health literacy and its impact on glycemic control among women with gestational diabetes mellitus in a tertiary care hospital, Puducherry – A cross-sectional analytical study

“…(2020) involving 292 Saudi women in Almadinah Almunawarah, which utilized a valid Arabic self-administered questionnaire. [ 28 ] One possible explanation for this discrepancy could be the availability of greater health education resources in urban areas, which may contribute to higher levels of HL.…”

Evaluation of Knowledge About Gestational Diabetes Among Primigravidae Versus Multigravidae in Saudi Arabia: A Quantitative Cross-Sectional Study

“…In the current study, it is noteworthy that 316 (65.6%) had good knowledge about GDM. Inversely, a crosssectional study conducted in Almadinah Almunawarah, Saudi Arabia, among women attending primary healthcare centers found that over half of the participants (n=178, 53.45%) had a poor level of knowledge about GDM, while only 7.80% (N=26) possessed a good level of knowledge on the subject [11].…”

Knowledge of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Among Adult Females in Al Qassim Province, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Females below the age of 18 years, living outside the Qassim region, and those with intellectual disabilities were excluded from the study. A validated questionnaire was provided and approved by the authors of a study conducted in Al Madinah Province in 2022 [ 10 ]. Additional questions were added to ensure comprehensiveness and improve validity.…”

“…In the study conducted in Al Madinah, the authors reported the prevalence of gestational diabetes as poor knowledge in their study to be 53.45% [ 10 ]. The same prevalence, a 95% confidence interval, and an absolute precision (alpha) of 5% were adopted in the present study to calculate the sample size.…”

“…In 2022, a cross-sectional study conducted in Jeddah city concluded a lack of knowledge regarding gestational diabetes, as 77.8% of women had poor knowledge [ 9 ]. Another study conducted in the same year in Al Madinah Province also found that the knowledge among Saudi women was poor, particularly regarding risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment [ 10 ]. Another study in Saudi Arabia showed that 35.5% of the population had adequate knowledge of GDM and its implications, while 34.7% did not understand the condition sufficiently, and 29.8% were unaware of the complications [ 11 ].…”