ABSTRACT
Type 2 diabetes is a heterogeneous disease that results from a different interaction between genetic factors and environment. Married couples can have concordant health status. To investigate diabetes concordance among married couples. A cross sectional study was conducted between May and November 2012. The study included 270 married couples [since >/=1 year] who were attending Mushairif PHC and Gulf Medical College Hospital, Ajman, UAE. A validated questionnaire was used and filled by direct interview. Determination of the weight, height, BMI, waist circumference, fasting blood sugar and glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] for female participants was done. The American Diabetic Association definition of abnormal glycaemia was used [HbA1c>/= 5.7]. Data was analyzed using the SPSS version 19. Multiple logistic regressions were used. The study was approved by the Ethics Committees of the Gulf Medical University and Ministry of Health, UAE. The concordance of abnormal glycaemia was significant between non-diabetic wives and diabetic husbands, and non-significant between diabetic husbands and diabetic wives. There was 2.5 times increase in the odds to have abnormal glycaemia among non-diabetic wives when the husband was diabetic [OR 2.5, CI: 1.3 - 4.8, p < 0.05] after adjusting for other variables. Significant concordance of abnormal glycaemia was observed among non- diabetic wives with diabetic husbands. Having diabetic husband had increased the odds of abnormal glycaemia among non-diabetic wives by 2.5 times. The findings imply that marital partners of diabetics could be a potential target population for screening and/or disease prevention
ABSTRACT
To assess the level of knowledge of students aged 13-19 years in selected Iranian schools in UAE about diabetes and to identify probable misconceptions with regard to this disease among the participants. A cross sectional study was done including 200 female and male students in the age group between 13 to 19 years in selected Iranian schools. A scoring system was used by which a score of 1 or zero was given to each correct or incorrect response respectively. The total correct score was used as criteria to assess the total knowledge of students that was categorized into three parts [good, average and low]. The knowledge was also categorized into 5 domains [general knowledge, epidemiology, risk factors/ complication, investigation/ screening and lifestyle/ treatment]. Because of variation in number of items included in each domain, percentage of correct responses for these domains were compared The percentage of correct knowledge scores for the general knowledge, epidemiology of diabetes, risk factors/ complication, investigation/ screening and lifestyle/ treatment domains are 60.5%, 47.8%, 52.5%, 51.5% and 56.4% respectively. Poor knowledge scores is identified among 18% of the participant [n=34]. Poor knowledge scores are most commonly observed in males compared to females [2%Vs 14%], and in younger age adolescents [> 15 Yrs] compared to older age [> 15 Yrs]. The most common misconception is that diabetes is caused by eating too much sugar and sweets. High lack of knowledge in all knowledge domains. Poor knowledge is observed in 18% of the adolescents. Most common misconception is that sugar intake cause diabetes