Fatigue among diabetic patients: A descriptive study

Abstract

Fatigue among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) should be taken seriously because it requires complex and sustained management. Despite commonly experienced by DM patients, healthcare providers often overlook fatigue and its underlying factors. What should be noted is that poorly treated fatigue will negatively impact daily activities, lower the ability to concentrate and may even cause mood swings. All these may deteriorate health, increase the risk of complications and reduce life quality in general. This study aims to describe fatigue among DM patients in Denpasar Community Health Centre. The research design is cross-sectional in nature. The participants were 50 DM patients treated at Denpasar Community Health Centre, selected by using a purposive sampling technique with inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results show that 74 per cent of the patients experienced moderate, 18 per cent mild and 8 per cent severe fatigue. The practical implication is nurses are expected to be able to identify risk factors for fatigue among DM patients so that they can provide appropriate treatment and minimise further complications.