Knowledge of primary health care workers regarding HbA1c as a diagnostic and monitoring test for type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: In 2010, the American Diabetes Association adopted the use of the Glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) test to diagnose diabetes, with a threshold of ≥6.5%.
Objective: The aims of this study was to evaluate physicians’ knowledge regarding A1C as a diagnostic and monitoring test for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) in primary health care (PHC) centers in Kuwait.
Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey that was conducted in Capital PHC centers in Kuwait using a self-administered questionnaire that was distributed to all currently working physicians in the selected centers. Beside personal characteristics and working conditions, the questionnaire included 10 questions that were related to monitoring value of A1C and 10 questions related to its diagnostic value. 
Results: The response rate in this survey was 69.9%. The median of the overall knowledge score related to diagnostic value of HbA_1C was three out of ten while this for monitoring value was 6 out of ten. Higher median knowledge scores of diagnostic value of A1C were significantly encountered among those who had any certificate in diabetes, specialized course or lectures in diabetes, those who were aware of general diabetes management and ADA 2010 guidelines and those who requesting A1C to diagnose new diabetic patients .
Conclusions: The results showed that physicians’ knowledge and awareness about A1C as a diagnostic test were much lower than that about its monitoring value of T2D.