Abstract
Background Type 1 diabetes (T1D) in youth is becoming a public health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa, including
Burkina Faso. However, little is known about the level of knowledge of these patients on T1D. This study aimed to
evaluate the knowledge of diabetes in adolescents and young adults about the disease, and identify the factors
associated in Burkina Faso.
Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to June 2020 among youth with T1D, aged 10 to 30
years, and regularly followed in the internal medicine department of Yalgado Ouedraogo University Hospital of
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Data were collected using the French AJD (Aide aux Jeunes Diabétiques) validated
diabetes knowledge and skills (DKS) questionnaire designed to test participants’ accuracy in knowledge about
six different themes of T1D, as generalities of diabetes, hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, management of insulin
treatment, and self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG). DKS level was determined by calculating the scores, and
univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to explore factors influencing DKS scores. This level was
classified as insufficient or low ≤ 25/50, regular 26–39/50, and adequate or good ≥ 40/50.
Results Sixty-three participants with a mean age of 19.05 years and a sex ratio (W/M) of 1.17 were included in our
study. The mean HbA1c level was 9.79%, and 43 (68.23%) patients had an insufficient DKS level. The mean global
DKS score of correct answers was 23.63/50. The percentage of correct answers was respectively 50% for the item
“generalities of diabetes”, 32.4% for the item “hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia”, 67.72% for the item “diet”, 37.34% for
the item “management of insulin treatment” and 44.97% for the item “SMBG”. In univariate analysis, a better patient
DKS level was associated with university education and long duration of diabetes care follow-up ( 10 years, p

Keywords Type 1 diabetes knowledge Adolescent