Perception of Prevalence, Complications and Associated Factors of Diabetes in an Urbanizing Rural Community of Bangladesh

Abstract

The pandemic of diabetes is more explosive in developing countries due to fast expanding urbanization and way of life change. The aim of this study was to investigate the diabetes prevalence and complications while examining the relationship between socio-demographic factors, clinical factors, and glycemic control in an urbanizing rural community. An observational, non-interventional, cross-sectional design was used for this study. This observational study was conducted in an urbanizing rural area of Cumilla district. Potential predictor variables including lifestyle, BMI, dietary pattern, age, diabetes duration, and frequency of self-monitoring were analyzed for their relationship with various complications as well as collection of information regarding risk factors and socio-demographic variables. Patients’ non-adherence to self-care practices & medications were also assessed. A total of 100 patients (male:37; female:63) with mean age 54.39±13.13 years participated in the study. The majority of the study participants (52%) were from the upper lower family and 75% of the patients had a family history of diabetes. Around 60% of study patients had been taking polytherapy treatment and the use of Metformin (27%) and insulin (26%) was mostly observed. The most common diabetes-related complications among the study subjects were: diabetic retinopathy (70%) and peripheral neuropathy (64%) and hypertension (61%). The maximum non-adherence rate among diabetic patients was found in foot care (63%), exercise (48%), diet (47%). Lifestyle (p<0.01), diet (p<0.05), duration of diabetes (p<0.05) had a significant association with fasting blood glucose (FBG) level of the study patients. Knowledge of the prevalence of diabetes and related risk factors could raise awareness of the disease. The present data could be used in developing fruitful intervention program for diabetes patients and in improving their quality of life.