title: Type 2 diabetes mellitus in relation to place of residence: evaluation of selected aspects of socio-demographic status, course of diabetes and quality of life--a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims at answering what are the differences in socio-demographic status of patients with type 2 diabetes living in the city and the countryside and what is the impact of a place of residence on the level of metabolic control, the incidence of complications of diabetes and quality of life (QoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  274 patients were divided into 2 groups: residents of rural areas-28.2% (n=77) and residents of urban areas-71.9% (n=197). Self-reported questionnaires was used: EQ-5D, DQL-BCI and DSC-R.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The group of residents of the countryside was characterized by a lower income and education level and a higher number of persons with disability pension. Patients living in the country had a higher body mass index in comparison to town inhabitants (32.6 kg/m(2) vs 30.9 kg/m(2), p=0.008) and shorter diabetes duration (8.4 versus 11.3 years, p=0.008). There were no differences between residents of the countryside and towns in terms of the method of treatment (oral antidiabetic drugs: 70.1% and 65.5%, p=0.3, Insulin: 29.9% and 36.5%, p=0.3, respectively), occurring chronic complications of diabetes (retinopathy: 14.3% and 14.2%, neuropathy: 6.5% and 7.6%, coronary heart disease: 44.45 and 37.1%, respectively) and the availability of diabetologists. Patients living in the countryside did not differ from town inhabitants in metabolic control and QoL assessment (EQ-5D index: 0.80 vs 0.79, p=0.9, EQ-VAS: 56.2 vs 54.3, p=0.2, DQL-BCI: 56.0 vs 53.9, p=0.1, DSC-R: 29.6 vs 29.4, p=0.7).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The socio-demographic differences between groups dependent on the place of living did not exert a significant influence on the level of metabolic control of diabetes, the incidence of late complications or QoL assessment in the population studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dudzińska
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tarach
authors.affiliation: Chair of Internal Medicine and Department of Internal Medicine in Nursing, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zwolak
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malicka
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Medical Biostatistics, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smoleń
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nowakowski
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population