Poor glycemic control and its associated factors among diabetes patients attending public hospitals in West Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia: An Institutional based cross-sectional study

Purpose: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing at an alarming rate throughout the world and its complications of has become a major public health concern in all countries. Glycemic control is the most important predictor for DM related complications and deaths. However information on glycemic control remains scarce in Ethiopia including our study area. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the magnitude and factors associated with poor glycemic control among diabetic outpatients at West Shewa public Hospitals, Ethiopia. Methods: A facility -based cross-sectional study was conducted from June 01 to September 30, 2020. Poor glycemic control was assessed by glycated hemoglobin level and a systematic random sampling method was employed to select participants. An interviewer -administered structured questionnaire was used and the data entered into Epi data version 3.1 and exported into SPSS version 22 for analysis. Logistic regression was conducted to identify predictors of poor glycemic control. A p -value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 390 participants were involved in the study with mean age of 46.45 (+/- 15.6) years. The study finding showed that the prevalence of poor glycemic control was found to be 63.8%. Age of >= 50 years (AOR = 2.77; 95% CI: 0.15,0.85), being single (AOR = 2.55; 95% CI: 0.179,.857), having high low -density lipoprotein cholesterol (AOR = 3.44; 95% CI: 1.65, 7.12), being female gender (AOR = 2.4; 95%CI: 0.31,0.816), alcohol intake (AOR = 1.88; 95% CI: 1.135, 3.1) and presence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (AOR = 1.24; 1.1,1.39) were associated with poor glycemic control. Conclusion: About two-thirds of participants had poor blood glucose control. Increased age, high low -density lipoprotein cholesterol, family history of diabetes, being single, being female, diabetic peripheral neuropathy and alcohol intake were associated with poor glycemic control. Hence, effort should be made towards reducing these factors among DM patients by the concerned body.