Knowledge, attitude, and practice of diabetes in patients with and without sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy from two secondary eye care centres in India

Good knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of diabetes influence its control and complications. We examined the KAP of diabetes in patients with sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) and non-sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (NSTDR) attending two different referral hospitals in India. 400 consecutive patients (mean age = 58.5 years ± 10.3) with diabetic retinopathy attending retina referral clinics in Chennai (private) and Darjeeling (public) were recruited. A validated questionnaire on diabetic KAP was administered in English or the local language. Data were analysed using an established scalar-scoring method in which a score of 1 was assigned to the correct answer/healthy lifestyle and 0 to an incorrect answer/unhealthy lifestyle/practice. Clinical data included fasting blood sugar, blood pressure, retinopathy, and visual acuity. Retinopathy was graded as STDR/NSTDR from retinal images using Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study criteria. Usable data from 383 participants (95.8