Diabetes Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity
Knowledge Gaps, Primary Care Provider Counselling, and Barriers to Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Among Adults with Diabetes in Syria: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study
Door Ahmad M. Al Malla, Ahmad Bishr Nasra, Shahd Almansour en 5 anderen.
Inhoud in het Engels
Abstract
Background
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of preventable vision loss, yet retinal screening remains suboptimal in low-resource settings. This study assessed DR-related knowledge, risk perception, screening practices, and barriers among adults with diabetes attending selected healthcare facilities across multiple Syrian regions.
Methods
A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2025 to February 2026 in public hospitals in Damascus, Latakia, Homs, and Aleppo. Adults aged ≥ 18 years with self-reported diabetes were recruited predominantly from diabetes/endocrinology clinics using non-probability sampling. An adapted Arabic questionnaire assessed knowledge (10-item score; adequate ≥ 6/10), screening, barriers, and provider communication. Bivariate analyses and hierarchical binary logistic regression identified factors associated with adequate knowledge and never screening.