Awareness, knowledge, attitudes and practices on the management of diabetes mellitus patients with periodontitis amongst Malaysian primary care practitioners

Norul Nurdiyana Nordin; Rathna Devi Vaithilingam; Roslan Saub; Nazrila Hairizan Nasir; Ahmad Sharifuddin Mohd Asari; Baizury Bashah; Maimunah Mahmud; Nik Mazlina Mohammad

doi:10.51866/oa1131

Awareness, knowledge, attitudes and practices on the management of diabetes mellitus patients with periodontitis amongst Malaysian primary care practitioners

Malays Fam Physician. 2021 Sep 22;16(3):44-55. doi: 10.51866/oa1131. eCollection 2021 Nov 30.

Authors

Norul Nurdiyana Nordin¹, Rathna Devi Vaithilingam², Roslan Saub³, Nazrila Hairizan Nasir⁴, Ahmad Sharifuddin Mohd Asari⁵, Baizury Bashah⁶, Maimunah Mahmud⁷, Nik Mazlina Mohammad⁸

Affiliations

¹ DDS (UKM), Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
² BDS (Malaya), MClinDent (Malaya), Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Email: rathna@um.edu.my.
³ BDS (Malaya), MDSc (Melb), PhD (Toronto), Department of Community Oral Health and Clinical Prevention, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
⁴ MD (UKM), M Med (Fam Med) (Malaya), Msc Child Mental Health (University of Leceister, UK), Bahagian Pembangunan Kesihatan Keluarga, Cawangan Kesihatan, Primer, Putrajaya, Malaysia.
⁵ BDS (Egypt), M.Sc (Peridontology) (London), FDSRCPS (Glasgow), Faculty of Dentistry, UiTM Kampus Sungai Buloh, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia.
⁶ MBBS (Malaya), M Med (Fam Med) (Malaya), Klinik Kesihatan Kuala Lumpur Wilayah, Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
⁷ MBBS (Malaya), M Med (Fam Med) (Malaya), Klinik Kesihatan Sungai Buloh, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia.
⁸ MBBS (Malaya), M Med (Fam Med) (Malaya), Klinik Kesihatan Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

PMID: 34938392
PMCID: PMC8680934
DOI: 10.51866/oa1131

Abstract

Introduction: The bi-directional relationship between periodontitis (PD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) has been confirmed. Medical practitioners (MPs) serve an important role in relaying this information to patients. This study aimed to investigate the awareness, knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) in the management of DM patients with PD in primary care clinics under the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Malaysia.

Materials and methods: A self-administered questionnaire on KAP in the management of DM patients with PD was posted to 725 medical officers (MOs) and family medicine specialists (FMSs) in MOH clinics in Kedah, Terengganu, Johor and Negeri Sembilan. Collected data were tabulated and analysed using descriptive and regression analyses (simple and multiple). Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05.

Results: A total of 549 MPs responded. The majority of MPs were MOs (92.6%) and female (75.8%). FMSs had a greater awareness of PD when compared to MOs (p = 0.002). All MPs had good knowledge, except for the incorrect notion that excessive sugar causes PD (94.3%). Overall, FMSs had better knowledge when compared to MOs (p=0.026). The majority of MPs agreed that 'they should update their knowledge on the association between systemic disease and PD' (89.6%) and claimed that 'it was not their responsibility to examine DM patients for PD' (83.1%). Most MPs did not enquire or examine for PD in their DM patients. More FMSs (67.5%) referred patients to dentists compared to MOs (31.6%).

Conclusion: Most MPs have sufficient knowledge on PD, but a negative attitude in the management of PD in DM patients. The reasons for not referring included workload and patients refusing referral.

Keywords: Diabetes; awareness; knowledge; medical practitioners; periodontitis.