Published online Aug 15, 2019. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v10.i8.463
Peer-review started: May 5, 2019
First decision: May 31, 2015
Revised: June 8, 2015
Accepted: July 20, 2019
Article in press: July 20, 2019
Published online: August 15, 2019
Processing time: 106 Days and 0.6 Hours
Saudi Arabia is among the top 10 countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes. Cost of prevention and indirect cost must be calculated to increase the awareness of the society and to emphasize the importance of disease and limiting further complications.
Diabetes complications are the most expensive medical consequences encountered during diabetes management. Lack of patient education regarding lifestyle changes and medication use leads to treatment failure, which adds burden to both patients and the government.
The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between direct medical costs and individual demographic characteristics, different regimen of treatment, and well glycemic control. Here, we include the monthly cost of medications and the pharmacy average consumption of each oral hypoglycemic medication listed in the formulary. In addition, awareness of these patients of the disease and the role of lifestyle modifications in addition to oral hypoglycemic medication are explored. Lack of sufficient awareness will lead to high treatment cost with low therapeutic outcomes.
A prospective descriptive and comparative face-to-face survey was carried out among patients with diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia. The study included both genders of patients visiting the primary care medical center. Patients aged between 35 to 75 years who were on oral hypoglycemic were selected within the inclusion criteria. Pregnant women were excluded from the study. The prices and quantities of average monthly ordering costs of the medicine were collected from the institution.
Results of this study show a lack of proper counseling about lifestyle changes and medication use among patients with diabetes. This study urges other researchers to focus on patient counselling techniques and the barriers diabetic patients encounter during therapy.
This study shows that there is a lack in patient education about the proper way to manage diabetes, which affects money expenditure on diabetic management. This study proposes the use of well-structured techniques by diabetic educators that include organized follow up plan and utilization of modern technology to reduce diabetic complications and improve quality of life.
Future research should focus on the utilization of social media in promoting diabetes education in both diabetic and pre diabetic patients.