Concordance of diabetes among married couples attending health facilities in Ajman, UAE

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