The control of blood glucose is critical in prevention of complication of diabetes and to improve the quality of life of these patients. However in a setting
of patients attending care from a private setting, the access to inexpensive care may be a critical control of diabetes, a life-long chronic illness that requires optimal adherence to nutritional and medication. Such practices may ultimately heighten the financial burden associate with management of diabetes of complications such as hypertension and diabetic foot. In spite of this, the Glycaemic control practices in private health care settings in Uganda have not been well described and thus may negatively impact on the health outcomes.
The study aimed to describe the practices among diabetic patients attending the Rubaga hospital, determine the level of Glycaemic control and identify
the factors associated with diabetics’ patients monitoring indicators (Hb1Ac levels, blood glucose levels).
This is a Cross-sectional analytical study.
Patients were randomly selected during the period of April and May 2012. The laboratory determination of the blood glucose levels (RBG) and
Glycosylated hemoglobin (HB1AC) was done using the COBAS 6000 clinical chemistry analyser. Analysis was done using the student T-test and Chisquare test with a level of significance of 0.05.
There was a significant statistical relationship between fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c (p-value = 0.000).
Factors influencing high HBA1C levels in diabetic patients at Rubaga hospital were high cost of diabetes mellitus treatment (p-value = 0.019), duration
the study participant had had the disease (P = 0.003) and having another chronic illness alongside diabetes mellitus (p-value = 0.045).
The Republic of Uganda should make treatment of diabetes mellitus universally accessible and free. It should also put sensitization measures in place
geared towards minimizing occurrence of some chronic disease conditions like hypertension which lead to co-treatment that lowers drug compliance.
Author(s): Magoola Andrew Patrick, Kibuule Dan, Kagoya Harriet Rachel, Rugera Simon Peter, and Mitonga Kabwebwe
Honore