Abstract: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus among elderly has increased in Rwanda. Controlling diabetes mellitus primarily focuses on integrating diabetes management into primary healthcare through a national strategy, utilizing home-based care practitioners (HBCPs) to reach patients at the community level, and promoting lifestyle modifications like healthy diet and physical activity. Bur the information in Gasabo hospital remain unknown it was this reason that let to study factors associated with low uptake of the minimum nutritional diet to prevent and control diabetes mellitus among elder people visiting Kibagabaga Second-level teaching Hospital in Gasabo district .Specifically Prevalence of diabetes mellitus management by nutritional diet among elderly people, assess Social economic factors associated with diabetes mellitus management by nutritional diet on the health of elderly people, assess mitigation methods used to prevent diabetes mellitus elderly people from adhering to a nutritional diet tailored for diabetes mellitus prevention and control in Kibagabaga Second-level teaching Hospital in Gasabo District, the study was descriptive cross sectional and cohort , sampling technique was purposive and retrospective using retrospective form , data was management by SPSS version 27 and analyzed by cross tabulation of descriptive and inferential staststics , ethical clearance by MKU school of post graduate and kibagabaga hospital. Results The study shows that many male 119 (66%) participants compared to female gender, 62 (34%), the majority were aged cohort was 41 to 50 77(43%) and least cohort was above 51 years 64, (35.4%). Prevalence of elderly diabetic mellitus in the Gasabo district is only 42% (76), for population health who had chronic conditions and with range of 21 respondents of living with DM for less than 10 years 55 (30%), with RR (0.41, 0.51). OD (0.72), The study associated abundant uptake of heavy sugary foods and limited physical exercise in elderly to be main cause of increased DM with 62 respondents with 34% attack rate. With significant p values of 0.013, 95%CI. The results opined that majority of the respondents 51% (94) received the service from dietary officer and specialist nutrition community health worker to prevent and control DM. while 23% (77), respondents received mitigation service at hospital after visiting o prevent and control type diabetic mellitus in their body. The study recommends need to more physical fitness among the elderly.
Keywords: Low uptake of nutritional diet, diabetes mellitus, elders people.
Title: Factors Associated with Low Uptake of Nutritional Diet to Prevent and Control Diabetes Mellitus among Elderly People Visiting Kibagabaga Second-Level Teaching Hospital in Gasabo District, Rwanda
Author: Job IRADUKUNDA, Dr. Maurice B. Silali
International Journal of Healthcare Sciences
ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)
Vol. 13, Issue 2, October 2025 - March 2026
Page No: 216-235
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 08-November-2025
