Abstract
Objectives
The lack of population-based evidence on the risk factors for poor glycaemic control in diabetics, particularly in resource-poor settings, is a challenge for the prevention of long-term complications. This study aimed to identify the metabolic and demographic risk factors for poor glycaemic control among diabetics in a rural community in Malaysia.
Methods
A total of 1844 (780 males and 1064 females) known diabetics aged ≥ 35 years were identified from the South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) health and demographic surveillance site database.
Results
41.3% of the sample had poor glycaemic control. Poor glycaemic control was associated with age and ethnicity, with older participants (65+) better controlled than younger adults (45–54), and Malaysian Indians most poorly controlled, followed by Malay and then Chinese participants. Metabolic risk factors were also highly associated with poor glycaemic control.
Conclusions
There is a critical need for evidence for a better understanding of the mechanisms of the associations between risk factors and glycaemic control.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express their appreciation to the SEACO Field Team and members of the SEACO Scientific Advisory Group from the Malaysian Ministry of Health. SEACO is funded by the office of the Vice Provost Research, Monash University Australia; the office of the Deputy Dean Research, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University Australia; the Monash Malaysia School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Monash University Malaysia Campus. SEACO is an associate member of the INDEPTH Network.
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Ethics approval for the study was obtained through the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee: MUHREC CF11/3663-2011001930 for the broader cohort and MUHREC CF13/439-2013000177 for the assessment of health status.
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Reidpath, D.D., Soyiri, I., Jahan, N.K. et al. Poor glycaemic control and its metabolic and demographic risk factors in a Malaysian community-based study. Int J Public Health 63, 193–202 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-017-1072-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-017-1072-4