Fasting in Ramadan of Muslim patients with diabetes Mellitus, and knowledge and practice in relation to diabetes control in Brunei

• Published in: Diabetes research and clinical practice Vol. 144; pp. 171 - 176
• Main Authors: Tan, Caroline, Yong, Alice M.L., Haji Mohamad, Mohamad Azmi, Abdul Rahman, Hanif, Naing, Lin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01.10.2018
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Brunei - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes Complications - epidemiology; Diabetes Complications - prevention & control; Diabetes control; Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus - drug therapy; Diabetes Mellitus - physiopathology; Diabetes Mellitus - psychology; Fasting; Fasting - psychology; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Hypoglycemia - epidemiology; Hypoglycemia - prevention & control; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; Islam - psychology; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Education as Topic; Ramadan; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Brunei; Fasting; Diabetes control; Ramadan; Diabetes Mellitus
• ISSN: 0168-8227; 1872-8227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2018.09.004

•First epidemiologic report of fasting by people with diabetes in Brunei.•Prevalence of Ramadan fasting was 93.4% with 24.1 average number of fasting days.•49.1% consulted healthcare professionals prior to fasting.•38.1% monitored blood glucose levels throughout fasting month. To investigate the fasting pattern of patients with Diabetes Mellitus in Brunei Darussalam, specifically, their fasting activities, and knowledge and practice in relation to diabetes control during fasting in Ramadan. Cross-sectional study that included 18 years and older, Muslim patients with diabetes Mellitus who attended the main Diabetes Centre in Brunei. A self-administered questionnaire was designed, tested and used to collect the demographic information, fasting duration, knowledge and practice on diabetes control during fasting, and reasons of fasting as a Muslim. 183 participants with a mean age of 53.7 (SD 11.52) years were recruited. Prevalence of fasting during Ramadan was 93.4% with an average number of days of fasting was 24.1 days. Those with age 55 and above had significant higher prevalence of fasting than the younger group (p = 0.010). Only 49.1% of participants had consulted their healthcare professionals of their intentions to fast prior to the Ramadan, and only 38.1% of participants monitored blood glucose levels throughout the month. Diabetes education and early treatment adjustment especially before and during the month of Ramadan is essential to minimize hypoglycaemic risks and frequency of diabetes complications.