IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i14p8381-d858852.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Its Knowledge and Associated Factors among United Arab Emirates University Students

Author

Listed:
  • Maryam M. Bashir

    (Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates)

  • Luai A. Ahmed

    (Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
    Zayed Centre for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates)

  • Meera R. Alshamsi

    (Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates)

  • Sara Almahrooqi

    (Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates)

  • Taif Alyammahi

    (Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates)

  • Shooq A. Alshehhi

    (Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates)

  • Waad I. Alhammadi

    (Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates)

  • Hind A. Alhosani

    (Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates)

  • Fatima H. Alhammadi

    (Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates)

  • Rami H. Al-Rifai

    (Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
    Zayed Centre for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates)

  • Fatma Al-Maskari

    (Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
    Zayed Centre for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates)

Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) burden is burgeoning globally. Correct knowledge about GDM among young people is paramount for timely prevention. This study assesses GDM knowledge and identifies factors associated with it among United Arab Emirates (UAE) University students. A validated self-administered questionnaire collected data from the university students. We analyzed the data for GDM knowledge status (ever heard of GDM) and GDM knowledge levels (poor, fair, and good) and conducted ordinal logistic regressions to assess for associated factors. A total of 735 students were surveyed with a mean age of 21.0 years. Of these, 72.8% had heard of GDM, and 52.9% of males versus 20.3% of female students had never heard of the condition before. Higher age ( p = 0.019) and being a postgraduate student ( p = 0.026) were associated with higher GDM knowledge status in males. GDM knowledge level analysis showed that 24.0%, 58.5%, and 17.5% had poor, fair, and good knowledge. The mean GDM-knowledge score was 6.3 ± 2.4 (out of 12). Being married [aOR-1.82 (95%CI 1.10–3.03)] and knowing someone who had GDM [aOR-1.78 (95%CI 1.23–2.60)] were independently associated with higher GDM knowledge levels among students. Students’ primary source of GDM knowledge was family/friends. There is an observed knowledge gap related to GDM among the students, especially males. This study urges the need to accelerate targeted GDM awareness campaigns among university students and the general population in the UAE.

Suggested Citation

  • Maryam M. Bashir & Luai A. Ahmed & Meera R. Alshamsi & Sara Almahrooqi & Taif Alyammahi & Shooq A. Alshehhi & Waad I. Alhammadi & Hind A. Alhosani & Fatima H. Alhammadi & Rami H. Al-Rifai & Fatma Al-M, 2022. "Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Its Knowledge and Associated Factors among United Arab Emirates University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-13, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8381-:d:858852
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/14/8381/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/14/8381/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mukesh M. Agarwal, 2020. "Gestational Diabetes in the Arab Gulf Countries: Sitting on a Land-Mine," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Jolanta Lis-Kuberka & Magdalena Orczyk-Pawiłowicz, 2021. "Polish Women Have Moderate Knowledge of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Breastfeeding Benefits," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-25, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mukesh M. Agarwal & Madan Lal & Chintan D. Vyas, 2022. "Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in a Multi-Ethnic, High-Risk Population: Adequacy of Screening for Diabetes Mellitus 6 Weeks after Delivery," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-9, October.
    2. Jolanta Lis-Kuberka & Marta Berghausen-Mazur & Magdalena Orczyk-Pawiłowicz, 2022. "Attitude and Level of COVID-19 Vaccination among Women in Reproductive Age during the Fourth Pandemic Wave: A Cross-Sectional Study in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-25, June.
    3. Dominik Franciszek Dłuski & Monika Ruszała & Gracjan Rudziński & Kinga Pożarowska & Kinga Brzuszkiewicz & Bożena Leszczyńska-Gorzelak, 2022. "Evolution of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus across Continents in 21st Century," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-32, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8381-:d:858852. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.