Abstract:
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia with disturbances of
carbohydrates, fat and protein metabolism. It affects millions of people globally every day and
prevalence on the rise due to unhealthy diet and lifestyles. It is associated with chronic
complications including cardiovascular diseases, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, foot
ulcers and diabetic eye diseases that are all preventable through secondary preventive measures.
Once an individual has been diagnosed with T2DM, secondary preventive approaches are
essential in preventing the occurrence of chronic complications. However, lack of awareness has
been cited as a common reason for the development of complications. This study assessed the
effect of social cultural and economic factors on secondary diabetes prevention among patients
with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) at Consolata Hospital Nkubu and Meru Level Five
Hospital between March and April 2019. A descriptive correlational study design was adopted
to collect data from 357 purposively sampled participants with T2DM using questionnaires and
Focus Group Discussion Guide. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 25 at 95%
confidence interval and a significance level p ≤ 0.05. Most respondents attended Meru Teaching
and Referral Hospital. Majority of the respondents were aged between 40 - 60 years. 31.6% had
secondary level of education and 67% were employed. 70.6% did foot examination on every visit,
65% BP monitoring while 56.5% did annual eye screening. Level of income, affordability of
services, health insurance cover of the patients, monthly cost of DM management and traditional
beliefs in managing DM all significantly influenced secondary prevention at a p value ≤ 0.05. The
factors need to be addressed to reduce the global burden posed by the disease
