Epidemiologic study of the appearance of diabetes mellitus in correlation with the patient's socioeconomic status

Aim: The assessment of the correlation of Diabetes Mellitus (D.M.) with the socio-economic status, their kind of job of the patients and the achievement of successful regulation of D.M.

Material-Method Recording of the diabetic patients of the rural area of Goumenissa was done. We used a questionnaire which contained retrospective data concerning blood glucose values, their level of education, the kind of job they conduct and their family history of D.M.

Results From 1906 patients 480 (25,2%) had D.M. (168 men/312 women). From these patients 108 (22,5%) had a family history of D.M., 56 of them (18men/38 women) were illiterate, 374 patients (78%) (124men/250women) had elementary level of education, 38 patients (8%) (16 men/22women) had intermediate level of education, while only 12 patients (2,5%) (11men/1 woman) had a higher level of education.

On the other side 144 (30%) patients (144women) were housewives, 82 (17%) patients (54men/28women) were farmers, 12 (2,5%) patients (8men/4women) were private employees, 14 (3%) patients (6men/8women) were state employees, 12 (2,5%) patients (11men/1woman) were businessmen/women, none of the freelancers had D.M., 208 (43,5%) (85 men, 123 women) were pensioners while 8 (1,5%) (5men/3women) stated another kind of job.

Conclusion From this data we can see that there is a mild correlation of appearance of D.M. with the level of education with a higher frequency with its absence and with the elementary level of education p<0,001. Furthermore at a closer look, the percentage of patients, in which their occupation has a lot of physical activity, have a lower percentage of D.M. p<0,001.