[Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in Southern Brazil: a population-based study].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus among the adult population of an urban area, according to self-reported diabetes and fasting glucose test results.


METHODS
We carried out a population-based cross-sectional study of 1,968 subjects aged 20-69 years, living in the urban area of the city of Pelotas, Southern Brazil, in the year 2000. Sample size was calculated at 1,800 subjects. We visited the households of 40 randomly selected census sectors. We administered a standardized questionnaire to all subjects, which included questions on the presence of "blood sugar" and on medical confirmation in case of positive responses. A subsample of 367 participants was selected to donate blood samples for laboratory tests, including fasting blood glucose. We adopted as cutoff points for the detection of diabetes levels of 126 mg/dl and 140 mg/dl. Results are shown as frequencies and their respective 95% confidence intervals.


RESULTS
Of the subjects interviewed, 110 (5.6%; 95% CI: 4.6-6.6) referred the presence of Diabetes Mellitus diagnosed by a physician. In the subsample of 367 subjects who underwent blood testing, the prevalence of self-referred, physician-confirmed diabetes mellitus was 7.1% (95% CI: 4.5-9.7).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence estimates found in the present study are compatible with those obtained in other national surveys. Population-based studies are rare Brazil, and may contribute to the planning of health care policies.
da Costa
Juvenal Soares Dias
JS
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, RS, Brasil. jcosta@epidemio-ufpel.org.br
Olinto
Maria Teresa Anselmo
MT
Assunção
Maria Cecília Formoso
MC
Gigante
Denise Petrucci
DP
Macedo
Silvia
S
Menezes
Ana Maria Baptista
AM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population