Open AccessDIABETES MELLITUS;
Author(s) -
Hafiz Muhammad Yar,
Mohammed Anwar,
Khalid Shabbir,
Rashid Ali
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the professional medical journal/the professional medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2071-7733
pISSN - 1024-8919
DOI - 10.29309/tpmj/2008.15.02.2767
Subject(s) - medicine , diabetes mellitus , family history , observational study , disease , population , cross sectional study , life style , psychological intervention , public health , gerontology , pediatrics , environmental health , endocrinology , psychiatry , pathology
. Objective: To determine the frequency of diabetes mellitus and to assess the level of awarenessabout diabetes amongst persons attending a free health camp in cultural festival of Rahim Yar Khan. Study Design:Cross sectional observational study. Place and duration of study: Three days free health camp arranged in a culturalfestival in Rahim Yar Khan. Results: Over all frequency of type II diabetes was 19.38% and the frequency of diabetesincreased both in men and women with increasing age (p<0.001). Newly diagnosed subjects were 6.77% and thesedo not know that they were suffering from diabetes. 18.92% subjects were having glucose intolerance and 61.70%subjects were having random blood glucose level within normal limits. Diabetes was correctly defined by 57% subjectsand this was significantly associated with educational level, suffering from the disease and presence of diseaseamongst family members. 14.62% gave history of presence of disease in their families. As compared to females, maleswere more suffering from disease and these were consuming more foods and snacks than females (p<.0.01).Conclusion: High frequency of diabetes mellitus was observed amongst the study population. This may be due tohealth consciousness and higher level of educational status in the subjects who participated. Emphasis on healtheducation and preventive strategies are needed to increase public awareness and early detection of high risk groupsand risk factors of this common disease in our country. The lifestyle behaviors and environmental factors are strongmodifiers of diabetes The life style changes and interventions in early age may prove to be more effective thaninterventions done at a later stage.