Risk assessment for type 2 diabetes mellitus among participants in a market survey at Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria, using Finnish Diabetes Risk Score questionnaire

Abstract

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder arising from insulin resistance and/or decreased insulin secretion and has continued to affect people across all economic levels in society. Due to the high prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes, it has become very imperative to emphasize screening in any given population, especially in developing countries.

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the risk factors and prevalence of diabetes mellitus among participants using the FINDRISC questionnaire.

Materials and Methods: The study was a cross‑sectional study which involved 200 participants but 197 had complete data. Anthropometric, blood pressure, and fasting/random blood glucose measurements were carried out. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.

Results: The mean age of respondents was 41.8 ± 16.3 years. There were 104 males and 93 females. Most of the respondents were traders constituting 51.8% of the study population. The 10‑year risk categorization of respondents showed that 57.9% had low risk, 17.8% with slightly elevated risk, 12.2% had moderate risk, 10.7% with high risk, and 1.5% with a very high risk of developing diabetes. The average risk score was 7.4 ± 5.4 with a range of 0.0–24.0. The mean weight, height, and body mass index were 69.6 ± 14.4 kg, 165.3 ± 8.6 cm, and 25.5 ± 5.2 kg/m2, respectively. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were 126.9 ± 20.3 mmHg (range: 80–205) and 76.6 ± 12.9 mmHg (range of 50–130), respectively.

Conclusion: Approximately, 25% of respondents have a moderate‑to‑very high risk which emphasizes the need for continuous screening of the population, especially in public gatherings.