Abstract:

Background: Insulin is a medication for modulating blood sugar levels that is sensitive to its potency once exposed to unwanted storage conditions like high or low temperature and other harsh environmental factors. But majority of diabetic patients do not follow the storage conditions of insulin and this can be due to poor knowledge and practice behaviours. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of knowledge and practice on insulin storage and associated factors among diabetic patients attending BMC.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 4th April to 6th May 2023 among 337 DM patients of both type 1 and 2 using insulin therapy attending BMC in Mwanza. Chi-square test and fisher exact test was used to determine the association between practice and associated factors.

Results: The study recruited 337 participants and most were females with 173(51.5%) of the total population. The most interviewed age group was above 45 years with 241 (71.7%) participants. The results showed most of interviewers had a moderate knowledge of 229(69.0%) participants and the large number of participants 251(76.0%) had fair practice on insulin storage conditions. This study indicated a significant number of participants, 243 (76.0%) carry their insulin in handbags. In the association of knowledge of patients with practice of insulin storage it resulted in a p-value of (0.00) significant. The study showed association of practice of insulin storage with glycaemic control of DM patients that resulted in a p-value of 0.03 significant.

Conclusion: This study showed majority of DM patients had moderate knowledge with fair practices on insulin storage conditions which were substandard according to the general endorsement by manufacturer’s, IDF and WHO references.