Factors associated with glycemic control among adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional survey in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Even though the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus is swelling rapidly in Ethiopia, data regarding glycemic control, a key strategy for marked reduction of diabetes mellitus complications, is scant. We have assessed the status of glycemic control and its contributing factors among adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS: This was a facility based cross-sectional survey of 325 adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending in Jimma University Teaching Hospital, South west Ethiopia. Data from all the patients were collected between February and April 2014. Glycemic level was assessed by using fasting blood glucose level, and 'poor glycemic control' was defined when fasting blood glucose level was above 130 mg/dL (7 mm/L). Analysis included both descriptive and inferential statistics, and SPSS version 20.0 was used for all analysis.

RESULTS: 309 respondents were included in the survey. More than two-third (70.9 %) of the patients had poor blood glycemic control. Patients who were illiterate (AOR = 3.46, 95 % CI 1.01-11.91) and farmer (AOR = 2.47, 95 % CI 1.13-5.39) had high odds of poor glycemic control. In addition, taking combination of insulin and oral medication (AOR = 4.59, 95 % CI 1.05-20.14) and poor medication adherence (AOR = 5.08 95 % CI 2.02-12.79) associated statistically with poor glycemic control.

CONCLUSION: Majority of patients had poor glycemic control. Patients with low level of education, being employed, on combinations of insulin and oral medication, and lower adherence to their medication were likely to have poor glycemic control. Education and awareness creation could be a cross cutting intervention for the significant factors.