Demographic, Behavioral, and Clinical Characteristics of the Ambulatory Diabetic Population of the Dominican Republic, 2018

Abstract

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes has steadily increased in prevalence in the Dominican Republic. Our objectives were to identify the demographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics of adult male and female ambulatory diabetic patients in the Dominican Republic to better understand diabetes in the Dominican population. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of a random sample of ambulatory patients treated at the diabetes clinic at the Instituto Nacional de Diabetes, Endocrinología y Nutrición (INDEN) whose first appointment was in 2018. We abstracted data for demographic, behavioral, and clinical variables and compared them by sex. Results: Of the 500 patients, a slight majority were female. Over 84% of patients had Type 2 diabetes. Female patients had significantly higher rates of several comorbidities, including obesity and hypertension. Male patients were slightly younger than female patients, and had significantly higher rates of several symptoms. In addition, men had significantly higher levels of HbA1c. Over 50% of all patients had a high fasting blood glucose level. The majority of the population reported never exercising. Conclusion: Sex-specific interventions are needed help to minimize the burden of the disease and improve the quality of life for the Dominican population. Programs to address high prevalence risk factors, like obesity and hypertension, and increase early access to medical care could help with prevention and/or management of diabetes, improve the health of the population, and decrease the economic burden of disease on both the population and the healthcare system of the Dominican Republic.