%0 Journal Article
%T Exploring Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Quality of Life in Diabetic Hypertensive Patients in Eastern Nepal
%A Pratiksha Gautam
%A Prasanna Dahal
%A Deevan Paul
%A Kadir Alam
%J International Journal of Social and Psychological Aspects of Healthcare
%@ 3108-4818
%D 2023
%V 3
%N 1
%R 10.51847/85T5oPfcpg
%P 62-71
%X This study aimed to investigate the health-related knowledge, attitude, practices (HR-KAP), and quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with diabetes and hypertension at Damak Municipal Hospital, located in Province 1, Nepal. This cross-sectional study, conducted from April to September 2022, included patients from the hospital’s outpatient medicine department. HR-KAP was assessed through a 23-item self-administered questionnaire, while HRQoL was measured using the EuroQoL-5 dimensions (EQ-5D-5L) instrument. The relationship between patient characteristics and outcome variables was analyzed using independent sample t-tests and chi-square tests, with statistical significance set at P < 0.05. The study included 105 patients, with a mean age of 49.40 (± 11.11 SD) years. While nearly half (49.5%) of the participants demonstrated adequate disease knowledge, their attitudes and behaviors related to the disease were subpar, with only 30% showing positive attitudes and 19% engaging in appropriate health practices. The KAP scores were significantly associated with age, gender, and educational background (P < 0.05). Most participants reported mild to moderate issues related to mobility, daily activities, pain, and anxiety/depression, with a mean EQ-5D-5L index value of 0.78 (± 0.09 SD) and EQ-VAS score of 58.43 (± 10.88 SD). HRQoL was lower among patients aged > 65 years, females, and those without formal education (P < 0.05). The study concludes that while participants have some knowledge of their condition, their attitudes and practices remain inadequate, which negatively affects their quality of life. This emphasizes the need for comprehensive health education and intervention programs tailored to chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension in this region.
%U https://smerpub.com/article/exploring-health-knowledge-attitudes-practices-and-quality-of-life-in-diabetic-hypertensive-patie-clrjtgnbzqcyo4y