Abstract
Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is fast emerging as a pandemic with its impact on the health system of the nation and the economic status of the patient. The ways by which the socioeconomic and demographic factors influence the progression of the disease and its vision threatening complication like retinopathy is still unclear. As these factors play a pivotal role in the management, we have undertaken this study to analyse the effects of them on the disease.
Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among 257 diabetic patients attending ophthalmology department and data about the socioeconomic status, occupation, body mass index , place of residence and severity of diabetic retinopathy were collected and analysed .
Results: Out of 257 patients, 50.2% were males and 49.8% females with 77.8% from rural areas,35.8% in the age group of 51-60 years.146 belonged to unemployed group 32 employed in gulf,57 skilled and 22 unskilled. Majority belonged to middle class families 70.4% (p value 0.022).Association of body mass index with retinopathy and Clinically Significant Macular Edema (CSME) with socioeconomic status showed insignificant correlation (p value 0.136).
Conclusion: Socioeconomic and demographic factors influence the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy. Greater severity of retinopathy was observed in the deprived classes of society and also among the rural population. Hence measures to adopt health policies to overcome the barrier of socioeconomic disparity in the availability of treatment and follow up should be implemented at the earliest to reduce sight threatening complication like retinopathy in the lower strata of the society.
Keywords: socioeconomic status, diabetic retinopathy, occupation, body mass index, rural, clinically, Significant macular edema.
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Corresponding Author
Dr Arun Kumar Ayoor
Professor of Ophthalmology,
Govt Medical College, Kozhikode, Kerala India Pin 673008
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Tel no. 9447286310
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i9.116
