ABSTRACT
This study aims to study determinants for the control of diabetes and hypertension in Al Ain Ambulatory Healthcare patients. This is a cross sectional observational study of patients attending ambulatory healthcare centers in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates in 2009. From a yearly audit evaluating the care of patients with diabetes and hypertension, the determinants for improved diabetes and hypertension outcomes were identified from a total of 512 patients and its association with glycemic and blood pressure control were studied. From all variables studied, only the clinic where the patient was treated helped predict both improved blood sugar and blood pressure control. For patients with diabetes, poor control the year before [p<0.001], the number of chronic disease clinic visits [p=0.042] and triglyceride levels [p=0.007] predicted worse control of diabetes. A predictor of poor control of blood pressure [p<0.001] for patients with hypertension was poor control of blood pressure in the year before. In this population, the healthcare system and the team played major roles as determinants in the control of patient's diabetes and blood pressure more than any of the other factors examined
Subject(s)
Humans , Hypertension/prevention & control , Cross-Sectional Studies , Ambulatory Care FacilitiesABSTRACT
There is limited research on nutrition knowledge related to diabetes management in persons with diabetes in the United Arab Emirates and other Arabian Gulf countries. Carbohydrate - containing foods have the greatest impact on post-meal blood glucose levels. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine nutrition knowledge related to carbohydrate- containing foods of adults with diabetes in Oman and the United Arab Emirates. A culturally-appropriate questionnaire was used to assess carbohydrate - food knowledge in a convenience sample of 94 Emirati and Omani men and women with diabetes [age [mean +/- s.d.]: 50 +/- 13.5 years] residing in the cities of Al Ain and Al Bureimi. Carbohydrate-food knowledge score [mean +/- s.d.] was 6.3 +/- 2 [maximum 14], reflecting low knowledge of food sources of carbohydrate. Ninety-three percent of the study participants believed that whole wheat bread does not increase their blood glucose levels and 88% of them did not think that unsweetened fruit juices can increase blood glucose levels. Further, scores for the Omani citizens were significantly lower than those of Emirati counterparts, mean difference 2.3 [95% confidence interval:1.5-3.1]. Significant [p < 0.05] differences in carbohydrate food knowledge scores between the 2 groups were found for 5 of the 14 food items assessed. The results of this study underscore the importance of nutrition education programs for persons with diabetes in these 2 communities