title: Assessment of awareness of diabetic retinopathy among the diabetics attending the peripheral diabetic clinics in melaka, malaysia.
abstract: In view of the alarming increase in the incidence of diabetes mellitus in Malaysia, we conducted a study to assess the awareness of complications of diabetes among the diabetics attending the peripheral clinics in Melaka. The study period was from January 2007 to December 2007. 351 patients were included in the study. 79.8% were aware of the complications of diabetes mellitus and 87.2% were aware that diabetes can affect the eyes. However, only 50% of the patients underwent an ophthalmological evaluation. Although awareness was good, the motivation to undergo the assessment was poor.
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College Manipal, Ophthalmology, Kasturba Medical College, Main Road, Madhav Nagara, Post Box No 7, Manipal, Karnataka 576104, India. kraoaddoor@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Krishna R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Addoor
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Krishna
authors.forename: Sulatha V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Bhandary
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khanna
authors.forename: Lavanya G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Kamala D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Lingam
authors.forename: Binu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: V S
authors.forename: Santhosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shivaji
authors.forename: Manjunath
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nandannaver
mesh_terms: D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008296:Malaysia