title: Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of diabetes mellitus in rural China: results from Shandong Province.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of diabetes in rural areas in Shandong Province, China.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Luxemburg-WHO-Shandong Project on Rural Health Personnel Training and Chronic Disease Control, a cross-sectional study, examined 16 375 rural residents aged 25 years and over using multistage cluster sampling in April 2007. An overnight fasting blood specimen was collected to measure plasma glucose and a 2-h 75-g oral glucose tolerance test was conducted among people with a fasting blood glucose of ≥ 6.1 mmol/l. Information on the history of diabetes and hypoglycaemic medication was obtained using a standard questionnaire. Diabetes and prediabetes were defined according to the 1999 World Health Organization diagnostic criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, the prevalence rates for diabetes, prediabetes and previously diagnosed diabetes in the rural population were estimated to be 3.5%, 6.0% and 1.2%, respectively. Among those with diabetes, only 34.8% were aware of their condition, 30.6% were currently undergoing medication treatment, and 11.5% achieved glycaemic control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that diabetes has become a public health problem in poor rural areas of China and the rates of awareness, treatment and control of diabetes were relatively low. There is an urgent need for strategies aimed at the prevention and treatment of diabetes in the rural population in Shandong Province, China.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Policy & Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Health Policy & Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Hand Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Health Policy & Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: School of Health Policy & Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: School of Health Policy & Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Health Policy & Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health; D012737:Sex Factors; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents