Glycemic control and associated factors in patients with type 2 diabetes in Southwest Ethiopia: a prospective observational study.

Background: Diabetes, a known syndrome marked by hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance, is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. Over half a billion people worldwide have DM, and most live in low- and middle-income countries. Poor glycemic control is a public health concern in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Glycemic control and identifying factors associated with poor glycemic control can help healthcare providers design programs that improve glycemic control and the quality of services provided to patients.

Objectives: This study was designed to assess the level of glycemic control and associated factors in patients with type 2 diabetes in Jimma Medical Center, Southwest Ethiopia.

Methods: This institution-based prospective observational study was conducted among 420 patients with type 2 diabetes at Jimma Medical Center's diabetic clinics. A pretested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data, and a checklist was used to assess patient documents. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. The variables linked to poor glycemic control were investigated using binary logistic regression. Variables with p values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: Six-month follow-ups were conducted among 420 patients with type 2 diabetes, among whom 220 (52.38%) were women. The median age of the participants was 54(IQR = 40-60 years old). The proportion of respondents with uncontrolled fasting blood glucose was 58.1%. Sex (AOR = 2.576, 95% CI [2.80-11.479], P = 0.001), age(≥ 60) (AOR = 2.024, 95% CI [1.794-4.646], P = 0.002), diabetes duration > 10 years (AOR = 3.036, 95% CI [2.616-8.306], P = 0.003), type 2 diabetes mellitus on insulin + oral antidiabetic (OADs) (AOR = 2.08, 95% CI [298-3.918], P = 0.004), obesity (AOR = 2.18, 95% CI [(1.218-4.218)], P = 0.003), diabetic complications (AOR = 3.193, 95% CI [2.324-6.05], p = 0.002) and poor self-care practices (AOR = 3.034, 95% CI [5.821-7.02], P = 0.005) were found to be significantly associated with poor glycemic control.

Conclusion: At the Jimma Medical Center, the prevalence of poor glycemic control was high. Based on these findings, teaching and counseling provided by healthcare providers should focus on improving diabetes self-care activities, weight reduction, and diabetic complications to achieve good glycemic control.

Clinical trial number: Not applicable.