Health Facility Factors Influencing Secondary Prevention Practices Among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Meru County, Kenya: A Hospital Descriptive Correlational Study

Abstract

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder of multiple etiology that results from a deficit in insulin production, insulin action or both. It is chronic metabolic disorder affecting millions of persons worldwide taking a huge toll of human resources as mismanagement leads to development of acute and chronic complications. Long term chronic complications include development of eye retinopathy, foot ulcers and neuropathy, heart diseases and nephropathy. Patients can prevent the development of these complications by adopting secondary prevention measures. With an increase of patients suffering from chronic DM complications, these practices are often not adhered to by a number of patients. The study sought to assess the health facility factors influencing secondary prevention practices among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients at Consolata Hospital Nkubu and Meru Teaching and Referral (Level Five) Hospital in Meru County, Kenya. Data was collected from 357 participants who were sampled purposively. A descriptive correlational study design was adopted with questionnaires and Focus Group Discussion Guide used as the data collection methods. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 25 at 95% confidence interval. Distance to the facility (p=0.011), waiting time (p=0.062), availability of drugs (p= <0.001), good staff reception (p=0.001), receiving health education and counseling (p= <0.001), good care-giver communication (p=0.038), availability of DM services, (p=0.001) availability of supplies for screening DM complications (p= <0.001), and client satisfaction (p= <0.001) all significantly influenced T2DM secondary prevention at a p value ≤ 0.05. There is need to address these factors to promote T2DM secondary prevention practice.