Diabetes awareness in general population in Cameroon

BackgroundA good knowledge about diabetes could lead to early diagnosis and improved management.ObjectiveTo evaluate the level of diabetes awareness in Cameroonians, and to identify factors that influence this awareness.MethodsIn subjects aged ≥25 years (n = 1000, 93.4% of response), details regarding risk factors, symptoms, treatment and complications of type 2 diabetes were collected. One mark was attributed to each true answer and a global diabetes awareness score was computed. Influence of age, gender, educational level, occupational level, notion of a relative having a chronic condition and presence of chronic disease were analyzed.ResultsEighty percent of subjects scored more than the total mean score. The highest score obtained by participants (0.10%) was 28/30. The mean total score was higher in men (p < 0.02) and in subjects with a relative having a chronic condition (p < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, age classes (p < 0.01), educational level (p < 0.001) and relatives with a chronic condition (p < 0.001) were associated to the global diabetes awareness score.ConclusionsDiabetes awareness was generally good. This may be due to the fact that the study was conducted in an area where health promotion and health education on diabetes have been intensively delivered for the past 4 years.