title: Diabetes mellitus in the Jamaican elderly.
abstract: 10.2% of 1318 people aged 60 to 97 years old interviewed in a community based survey in Jamaica reported that they had type II diabetes mellitus, and this was confirmed by appropriate blood and urine tests. The disease occurred more frequently in females (12.6%) of 669 interviewed) than in males (7.8% of 649 interviewed), and was detected in an additional 2.96% of the study group who were not aware that they had the disease. Among the group of diabetics, 60.25% also reported that they were hypertensive, 63.1% were taking oral anti-diabetic tablets, and 20.4% reported having the disease for more than 20 years. 89.5% of the entire study group, and 88% of the diabetic population, were functionally independent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Psychiatry, University of the West Indies, Jamaica.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eldemire
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hagley
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution