J Korean Diabetes.  2024 Jun;25(2):107-116. 10.4093/jkd.2024.25.2.107.

2023 Survey Results on the Perception of Diabetes Mellitus among the General Public

• Yoo B
• Lim SC
• Koo MH
• on Behalf of the Committee of Media-Public Relation of the Korean Diabetes Association

• KMID: 2556762
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4093/jkd.2024.25.2.107

Abstract

Background
According to the Diabetes Fact Sheet published by the Korean Diabetes Association, as of 2020, one in six adults (16.7%) over the age of 30 were diagnosed with diabetes. In this rapidly increasing prevalence of diabetes in Korea, the severity of diabetes to raise awareness of the importance of awareness, early detection, and active management. A public diabetes awareness survey was conducted in 2022 and 2023, and the survey contents by year were compared and presented.
Methods
This survey was a structured online questionnaire conducted in October 2023, targeting a total of 1,000 adult men and women aged 20 or older nationwide through population proportional allocation according to age, sex, and residential area.
Results
The survey results indicated that 91.4% of respondents perceive diabetes as a serious disease, and 68.3% of those without a diabetes diagnosis have expressed concerns about diabetes or hyperglycemia. However, awareness of ‘prediabetes’ and ‘glycated hemoglobin’ was only 61.3% and 38.1%, respectively. On the other hand, only one-third of the respondents reported maintaining an appropriate weight and waist circumference, eating regular meals, and engaging in regular exercise. While awareness and perceived necessity of insulin injections were high, the willingness to undergo injection therapy was only about 50%, indicating a need to provide information on the benefits of insulin therapy and its positive impact on quality of life.
Conclusion
Therefore, raising awareness about the severity of diabetes, along with education and intervention, is necessary to facilitate early detection and proactive management of diabetes.

Keyword

Diabetes mellitus; Disease management; Health behavior; Health surveys; Healthy lifestyle; Perception; Republic of Korea

Reference

1.International Diabetes Federation (IDF). IDF diabetes atlas 2021. 10th ed. Brussels: IDF;2021.

2.Korean Diabetes Association. Diabetes fact sheet in Korea 2022. Seoul: Korean Diabetes Association;2022.