Knowledge and Attitude of School Students About Diabetes Mellitus in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a worldwide public health issue. Diabetes has been developing dramatically among young individuals, and childhood onset is now becoming a global epidemic. Data on DM knowledge and attitude among Saudi school pupils in the western region of the country are few. Therefore, this study has been undertaken to assess the level of knowledge and attitude of school students toward DM in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 850 school students in the western region of Saudi Arabia from October to December 2022. The data were collected using an online questionnaire and analyzed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) (version 23.0; IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Armonk, NY). Results: This study included 850 pupils in total. Females represented most of them (82.1%). The participants' ages ranged from 10 to 18 years, with the majority of them between the ages of 16 and 18. Self-reported diabetes among students was 9.5%, and the most prevalent type was type 1 diabetes. Regarding the physical activity of the participants, 22.6% of them conduct physical exercise for a duration of more than 30 minutes per day, with a significantly higher percentage among non-diabetics, while 34.6% of the diabetics do not exceed 20 minutes of daily exercise, with a P value of 0.017. School students showed a lack of information about symptoms and complications of DM where only diabetics could mention them when compared with non-diabetic students, with P values of <0.001 for each of them. Diabetic students listed DM risk factors, such as genetics, obesity, and smoking, more frequently than non-diabetics; the corresponding P values were 0.004, 0.001, and 0.041. Unfortunately, more than 32% of diabetic students had the misconception that DM is not a controllable disease. According to the majority of diabetic students, soft drinks raise blood sugar levels. The Internet was the main source of information about DM. Conclusion: The school students' understanding of DM was generally suboptimal. Their understanding of the symptoms, effects, and management of diabetes was low. Most school students in this cohort perceived that DM could not be controlled. Given the high rate of self-reported diabetes in the western region of Saudi Arabia, it is strongly advised to educate children about DM at an early age. Every student at school should adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and regular exercise, and they should be closely observed by their teachers and parents. Family physicians should regularly check the adherence of diabetic children to their antidiabetic medications and ensure this important point with their caregivers. Psychological assessment and counseling are highly recommended for all diabetic children.