An estimated 1.1 million people worldwide lost their lives to diabetes in 2005. Nearly 80% of deaths take place in low- and middle-income nations, with individuals under 70 accounting for half of these deaths. According to WHO projections, diabetes-related mortality will rise by almost 50% over the next ten years if proper prevention and control measures aren't taken. Most significantly, between 2006 and 2015, diabetes-related fatalities are expected to rise by more than 80% in upper-middle-income nations . The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the general population is rising, in part because of the aging population and in part because of lifestyle changes and the ensuing obesity pandemic . This global epidemic, which affects both industrialized and developing nations, has been dubbed a "new world syndrome" symptom of globalization and its social, cultural, political, and economic implications. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, which accounts for approximately 85% of all occurrences of diabetes mellitus, is primarily affected by the pandemic . Diabetes mellitus can be detected early, its complications can be prevented, and the condition can be controlled with the use of knowledge and risk perception .

Diabetes is a multifactorial metabolic disease characterized by anomalies in the metabolism of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, as well as persistent hyperglycemia brought on by a lack of insulin activity, synthesis, or both. This raises the risk of both macrovascular problems (ischemic heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease) and microvascular damage (retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy) . The American Diabetes Association defines diabetes as having a post-glucose load of at least 200 mg/dl (11.1 mmol/l) or a fasting plasma glucose measurement of at least 126 g/dl (7 mmol/l) .

Considering current developments in the field of diabetes, the classification of diabetes mellitus has changed significantly over time. Nowadays, the classification is mostly determined by the disease's etiology, or causes, rather than how it is treated. Defects, illnesses, or processes that frequently lead to diabetes mellitus are referred to as etiological types . Absolute insulin insufficiency is the hallmark of idiopathic beta cell loss .

Insulin resistance and relative insulin insufficiency are the hallmarks of the diverse collection of conditions known as type 2 diabetes mellitus . Disorders in insulin action and secretion are the hallmarks of type 2 diabetes, which is the most common type. When this type of diabetes first appears clinically, both are usually present, and the obesity that frequently coexists with the disease helps to explain the insulin resistance that occurs in this type . The risk of type 2 diabetes rises with age, obesity, and inactivity. It varies by racial/ethnic grouping and is more prevalent in women who have a history of dyslipidemia, hypertension, or gestational diabetes mellitus . Therefore, this study aims to identify the factors influencing the public's knowledge about diabetes mellitus.

This is a descriptive (cross-sectional) study that was conducted at Basrah city. The study used a structured questionnaire to identify the factors influencing the public's knowledge about diabetes mellitus. The study period extends from 2^nd September 2025 to 11^th April 2026. The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 26. Data collected through the self-reported questionnaire from 3^rd October 2025 to 9^th December 2026. Non-probability (purposive) sampling was conducted on 600 diabetic and 600 non-diabetic samples.

Endorsement of the study was obtained from the Basrah General Health Directorate. A sample of the subjects who attended the mentioned primary health care centers was chosen. Every participant gave their informed verbal consent. Participants may have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, or they may not. A two-part questionnaire was filled out based on an extensive literature review, adapting questions from published studies and adding questions that were considered of value [11-13].

Part 1 covered the participant's sociodemographic state (age, sex, and educational status), while Part 2 was basic knowledge questions on diabetes mellitus. A total of 23 questions were used, covering key areas of knowledge about diabetes mellitus.

Level of diabetes knowledge according to age

Table 1 shows that the percentage of poor knowledge decreased with increasing age; the highest percentage of good knowledge was in the age group between 30-50 years (61.3%), with a significant association between level of knowledge and age.

Table 1: The level of Diabetes Knowledge according to Age

Significant associations were found between certain characteristics such as age, sex, and educational level) and the level of diabetes knowledge. Further studies must be conducted with a larger sample size.