title: Gender discrimination for women with diabetes mellitus in Algeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nowadays diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the greatest global challenges. Its expansion varies from an area to another according to genetic, traditions, socio-economic conditions, and stress. In Algeria, as in other emerging countries undergoing an epidemiological transition, noncommunicable diseases are sharply increasing. After high blood pressure, DM is now the second metabolic disease. But are women more concerned by DM since obesity frequency is higher in females? Can we assert that there is a sort of sex discrimination for DM complications?
  
  
  METHODS
  To answer these questions we took into account published documents carried in Algerian population. But, as those were very scarce, we also considered newspapers articles, some documents published by health minister department, posters and oral communications of the Algerian Society of Endocrinology and Diabetology, and our clinical experience. We also have done a small survey to get our patients' opinions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At the first sight, it seems gender discrimination between men and women cannot exist since most epidemiological studies showed that both sexes are broadly and equally affected by DM, except for old aged females who are the most affected. When we reconsidered the problem, and when we compared past results to those obtained after the terrorism period, many studies showed a sort of gender difference. Apart from gestational DM, which is increasing sharply, some complications and death related to DM are prevailing in women. Coronary diseases and cerebral vascular accidents are more frequent in women too, especially the young ones and those suffering from DM. These complications are probably due to the recent and rapid modification in women's lifestyle with a strong reduction in physical activity, eating disorders, hormonal contraception, and high sensitivity to perceived stress secondary to the near past stressing life and/or to numerous responsibilities taken by women in the modern society.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Hopital Bab El Oued, 5 Boulevard Said Touati Algiers, Algeria.
authors.forename: Farida
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chentli
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Hopital Bab El Oued, 5 Boulevard Said Touati Algiers, Algeria.
authors.forename: Said
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azzoug
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Hopital Bab El Oued, 5 Boulevard Said Touati Algiers, Algeria.
authors.forename: Djamila
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meskine
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Hopital Bab El Oued, 5 Boulevard Said Touati Algiers, Algeria.
authors.forename: Aldjia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Gradechi
keywords: Algeria; diabetes mellitus; gender discrimination