Urban-rural differences in the family sociodemographic characteristics of diabetic patients in a tertiary hospital in south eastern Nigeria

Background: Diabetes mellitus is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world, with 90% of diabetic patients receiving care from primary care physicians. It has been known to be influenced by socio-demographic factors. The objective of this study was to describe the urban-rural differences in the family socio-demographic characteristics of diabetic patients attending a tertiary hospital.
Methods: This was a hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study. Structured questionnaires developed by the researchers were used and administered to the respondents individually. The respondents consisted of adults aged 18 years and above already diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and seen in the hospital. The sample size consisted of consecutive 100 patients with diabetes mellitus seen in the hospital's general outpatient, internal medicine and endocrinology clinics, and emergency room between January and February 2015. The information collected included data on socio-demographic characteristics, family and social history. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were done. The level of significance was 5%. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 was used for the statistical analysis.
Results: A total of 100 diabetic respondents were recruited into the study. The male to female ratio was 1:1. The urban respondents constituted 68% while respondents aged 50-69 years formed 48% of the total respondents. The mean age of the rural dwellers was significantly higher (67.9 ± 15.8 years) than the urban dwellers (51.2 ± 13.3 years). Majority of the respondents were currently married (p-value <0.001). Age, marital status, occupation and family history of diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with residence.
Conclusion: The preponderance of urban diabetic respondents in this study calls for improvement in healthcare services and policies, including preventive measures to help curb the menace of the disease and reduce its prevalence, especially in urban areas.