Burden of comorbidities among diabetic patients in Latur, India

Background: Diabetes ailment is a route of the multi-morbidity's ailments. In Maharashtra state, Latur district have a higher proportion of diabetics. According to DLHS-4 (2012-013) and NFHS-4 (2015-016) blood sugar >140 mg/dl is around 14% and 17% respectively in Latur. Hence, study was undertaken to find out the burden of comorbidities among diabetes persons and its determinants. Materials and methods: This study used house listing method for self-reported diabetic person. Multistage stratified sampling technique was used to collect data. Two sub-divisions have selected in Latur districts. Three villages and three CEB randomly selected based on prevalence of diabetes among social strata in each subdivision of Latur. Furthermore, data was collected from 505 self-reported diabetic patients of 413 household during May to October 2017 and analysed by bivariate and multivariate techniques. Results: The prevalence of major comorbidities was blood pressure (28.5%), cardiovascular diseases (19.5%), retinopathy (21.8%) and rheumatism (24.4%). Health risk factors were blood sugar level, overweight, substance use and non-exercised, which shown more likely to develop the morbidities among diabetic patients. Conclusions: Increase of number of comorbidities in diabetic patients indicates lack of awareness of causes and consequences of diabetes. Hence, there is needs awareness program about diabetes prevention and management through health education, disease management programmes, trained peers, community health workers and community-based programmes.