Background: Diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycemia are two common diabetes complications. Predictors that have been linked with hypoglycemia include the drug that is used in diabetes treatment. Hypoglycemia complications and repeat episodes may be prevented by raising awareness regarding the importance of early condition management. The present study aims at evaluating the level of awareness about hypoglycemic episodes among the Hail general population.
Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated awareness levels regarding hypoglycemia among the Hail population in Saudi Arabia through a prefilled electronic questionnaire. Consent was obtained from all respondents. Afterward, they were given a questionnaire containing 32 items split into three categories. Data analysis was undertaken through the statistical software IBM SPSS Version 22.
Results: There were 1,011 participants in total. They had a mean age of 32 years old. 586 (57.9%) were female, and 185 (18.8%) were health care workers. 703 (69.5%) displayed an intermediate level of awareness. Just 98 (9.7%) were highly knowledgeable. The study found respondents’ age, gender, history of diabetes, and hypoglycemia had a significant association with hypoglycemia awareness. Those with chronic diseases more generally also displayed greater awareness.
Conclusion: The Hail population possesses an intermediate awareness level regarding hypoglycemia. Steps must be adopted to improve community knowledge and attitudes toward hypoglycemia. Diabetes mellitus is an increasingly prevalent condition in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, improving awareness levels can significantly decrease the risk of death from hypoglycemia.
Key words: Hypoglycemia, Low blood sugar, diabetes, awareness, Saudi Arabia
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