Prevalence Of Diabetes Mellitus Among Nigerians In Port Harcourt Correlates With Socio-Economic Status

Abstract

Random blood glucose analysis by the use of the Trinder's method was carried out to determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus among Nigerians in Port Harcourt. The study population were randomly selected and classified into two socio-economic status as high or low based on affluent diet, occupation, income and access to medical care. The mean blood glucose concentration for the high socio-economic group -staff of the oil industries was 7.42 ±0.25mmol/L and significantly higher (P < 0.001) than that for the low socio-economic class -the non-oil industrial workers, 5.33±0.45mmol/L. The prevalence of diabetes was found to be as high as 23.4% among the high socio-economic group and 16% among the low socio-economic group. Undiagonised diabetes occurred in 18.9% of the population studied and were not aware of their diabetic problem. Diabetic -awareness programmes are to be promoted with acion to identify people with diabetes early enough with the arm of providing appropriate medical treatment. @ JASEM

Diabetes Mellitus in Developing Countries and Case Series

“…Poor health seeking behaviour results in late presentation and is a possible reason why majority of patients in these setting present with complications [14]. For diabetic children, it is possible that some of the affected children succumbed to the illness at home out of parental ignorance and high cost of orthodox medical care.…”

“…From various African studies, clinical diabetic nephropathy in Sudan 11.6% [69], 19% in 1971 in Nigeria [70], 46% in Kenya [71] and 6% in Ethiopia [72]. The exact cause of diabetic induced complications are not fully understood, the underlying factor that appears to make those with diabetes more prone to many health problems is prolonged and frequently elevation of blood sugar [14]. Diabetes mellitus is a complex metabolic disease that can have devastating effects on multiple organs in the body.…”

“…Despite the high prevalence, serious long-term complications, and established evidence based guidelines for management of diabetes mellitus, the quality of care is still deficient in developing countries [11]. Diabetes mellitus is emerging as an epidemic all over the world, represents an important public health problem, and is of clinical concern [12], [13], [14]. Type 1 diabetes has been estimated to affect approximately 19,000 people in the worlds poorest countries but there is lack of good data on the disease prevalence in developing countries and in particular in sub-Saharan Africa [15].…”

Incidence of <i>Diabetes mellitus</i> at the Federal Medical Centre Katsina, Katsina State, Nigeria: A Retrospective Study

“…Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus among Nigerians in Port-Harcourt correlates with socioeconomic status was studied by Nwafor and Owhoji (2001). They found that, the prevalence was as high as 23.4% among the high socio-economic group and 16% among the low socio-economic group.…”

“…The literature relating to the prevalence of Diabetes in Nigeria is scarce (Nwafor and Owhoji, 2001). So far Diabetes is a well known major public health problem worldwide, there is therefore the growing tendency that every effort should be directed towards actively looking for the prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in the Nigerian population.…”