Spousal Concordance of Diabetes Mellitus among Women in Ajman, United Arab Emirates
Journal Title: Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal - Year 2016, Vol 16, Issue 2
Abstract
Objectives: Spousal concordance is defned as similar behaviours and associated health statuses between spouses. Tis study aimed to identify the concordance of diabetes mellitus (DM) and related variables among genetically unrelated couples in Ajman, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: Tis cross-sectional study included 270 married women attending either the Mushairef Health Center or the Gulf Medical College Hospital in Ajman between May and November 2012. A validated questionnaire was designed to determine sociodemographic characteristics and a history or family history of DM, hypertension, coronary artery disease or dyslipidaemia among the women and their husbands. Te weight, height, body mass index, waist circumference, fasting blood sugar and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels of all women were measured. Results: Of the women, 39.3% of those with diabetic husbands and 39.9% of those with non-diabetic husbands were diabetic themselves (P >0.050). Te prevalence of DM spousal concordance was 17.8%. A history of hypertension, coronary artery disease and dyslipidaemia was signifcantly more frequent among women whose husbands had a history of the same conditions (P = 0.001, 0.040 and 0.002, respectively). Spousal concordance of abnormal glycaemia among non-diabetic women with diabetic husbands was signifcant (P = 0.001). Having a diabetic husband (P = 0.006) and being obese (P = 0.009) were the only signifcant predictors of hyperglycaemia among non-diabetic women after controlling for confounding factors. Conclusion: Tere was signifcant concordance of abnormal glycaemia among non-diabetic women with diabetic husbands. Te spouses of diabetic patients may therefore be a target population for regular hyperglycaemia and DM screening.
Authors and Affiliations
Shatha S. Al-Sharbatti| Department of Community Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates, Yasmeen I. Abed| Department of Community Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates, Lujain M. Al-Heety| Mushairef Health Center, Ministry of Health, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; 3Department of Medicine, Gulf Medical College Hospital, Ajman, United Arab Emirates, Shaikh A. Basha| Department of Community Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
Keywords
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