Cognitive impairment among type 2 diabetic patients attending family medicine clinics, university of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, north central Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) is increasing worldwide with its burden affecting a wide range of adults. It is a less addressed and underdiagnosed complication of Diabetes Mellitus. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of cognitive impairment among type 2 diabetic patients in the primary care setting of a tertiary hospital. It also determined the relationship between CI and some socio-demographic factors among participants.
Materials and method: It was a descriptive hospital-based cross-sectional study. Data was collected from 274 adult type 2 diabetic patients attending the Family Medicine clinics of the UITH, Ilorin from March through May 2017. Interviewer-administered structured and semi-structured questionnaires were used to obtain information from the respondents. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to assess the prevalence and pattern of CI among respondents. Data was collated and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21 (SPSS-21).
Results: The prevalence of CI in this study was 27%. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was commoner than severe cognitive impairment. CI had a statistically significant relationship with the age, level of education and employment status of the respondents (p-value of 0.001, 0.026 and 0.014 respectively).
Conclusion: CI is common among type 2 diabetic patients in primary care. Physicians should routinely screen type 2 diabetic patients for CI as well as assess its pattern and risk factors. This would allow for the implementation of appropriate care to prevent CI or its worsening among type 2 diabetic patients. 

Keywords: Cognitive impairment, Type 2 Diabetes, Mini-Mental State Examination, Primary care