Assessing Fourth-Year Nursing Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices toward Nutritional Management in Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Aims: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of fourth-year nursing students toward nutritional management in Diabetes Mellitus and to determine whether significant relationships exist among these variables. Study design:  A descriptive cross-sectional correlational research design was utilized to systematically examine the variables and their interrelationships at a single point in time. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in a private college institution in Iloilo City, Philippines, among fourth-year nursing students during the Academic Year 2025–2026.  Methodology: A total of 222 respondents were selected from a population of 520 fourth-year nursing students using simple random sampling through the fishbowl method. Data were collected using an adapted, validated, and reliability-tested questionnaire consisting of four sections: demographic profile, knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to nutritional management in Diabetes Mellitus. Knowledge was assessed using a dichotomous scale, while attitudes and practices were measured using Likert-scale items to capture varying degrees of perception and behavior. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, and mean) were used to determine levels of KAP, while Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient was employed to analyze the relationships among the variables. Results: The findings revealed that respondents demonstrated an adequate level of knowledge regarding nutritional management in Diabetes Mellitus, with an overall mean knowledge score of 9.39 out of 12. Most students also showed positive attitudes toward nutritional management, with 70.27% categorized as having a positive attitude. In terms of practice, the majority (76.13%) demonstrated good practices, with an overall mean score of 3.36 out of 4. A significant relationship was found between knowledge and attitude (ρ = 0.153, p = 0.000) and between attitude and practices (ρ = 0.241, p = 0.000). However, no significant relationship was observed between knowledge and practices (ρ = 0.006, p = 0.934). Conclusion: Fourth-year nursing students generally possess adequate knowledge, positive attitudes, and good practices regarding nutritional management in Diabetes Mellitus. The findings highlight that while knowledge contributes to shaping attitudes, attitude plays a more influential role in translating knowledge into clinical practice. Strengthening nursing education and clinical training in diabetes nutrition management may further enhance students’ preparedness to deliver effective patient care.