بكالوريوس / Bachelor's

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and global health expenditure; attributable for 966 billion USD per year [1]. In 2021, it was estimated that 529 million people worldwide lived with diabetes, a 6.1 % global prevalence [2], expected to increase to 12.2 % by 2045. Whilst the incidence of both type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) have increased, T2D accounts for up to 96 % of all cases [2]. There is a major burden of macrovascular and micro-vascular complications in diabetes: ischaemic heart disease, cerebral infarction, heart failure and peripheral vascular disease (macrovascular) and diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy (microvascular disease) [3]. T2D is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) [4] and non-traumatic lower limb amputation [5]; and diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness in working age adults [6,7]. Individuals living with diabetes are twice as likely to die from cardiovascular (CV) disease compared to the general population [8] and younger onset T2D is associated with a disproportionately higher CV risk incidence and prevalence compared to adults diagnosed later [9]. These complications account for the majority of disability and premature deaths among people living with diabetes. Globally, one in nine adults is estimated to have diabetes, and projections suggest the burden will continue to rise until at least 2050 [10].Therefore, to facilitate future resource allocation and health care planning, and target disease prevention, a better understanding of KAP towards diabetes associated complications is required. In Sudan and East Africa, the burden of complications is rising alongside increasing prevalence of diabetes. Hospital‑based tudies in Sudan have reported high rates of retinopathy and neuropathy among diabetic patients, with poor adherence to preventive practices such as regular eye and foot examinations [11]. A study in Ethiopia similarly found that while 65% of patients had positive attitudes toward complication prevention, fewer than half practiced recommended preventive measures, with education and urban residence strongly influencing outcomes [12]. These findings highlight the persistent knowledge‑practice gap in the region, underscoring the need for localized research and interventions. This study in Dongola, Sudan (2026), is therefore timely, aiming to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices (KAP) of diabetic patients toward complications, and to identify sociodemographic factors influencing these outcomes

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The findings will be valuable for healthcare providers and ultimately enhance the quality of life of diabetic patients in Dongola.