A community study of diabetes in Oxfordshire

A mailed questionnaire was used to identify people with diagnosed diabetes in a population of approximately 14,000. A response rate of 90 per cent was obtained and the prevalence of diabetes was found to be 0.8 per cent. The questionnaire method compared favourably with other methods of identifying diabetics in the area.

Eighty-two diabetics were interviewed and examined for diabetic complications and 55 of these completed a questionnaire on their attitudes to diabetes and its care.

The medical records of all 108 diabetics identified were examined. A greater proportion of patients who attended either a general practice mini-clinic or a hospital diabetic clinic had examination for complications recorded than patients attending their general practitioner in ordinary surgery time. Patients attending on demand were seen less often and had fewer observations recorded when they came.

Comparison of measures of control between hospital and general practice patients showed that hospital patients tended to be more tightly controlled even though most were on insulin and likely to have more severe diabetes.

Half of non-insulin diabetics and a quarter of those on insulin considered that their diabetes should be managed solely by their general practitioner.

This was a pilot study and caution should be exercised in interpreting results from comparatively small numbers. The study has since been extended to a larger population. f10sl60