Introduction and objective: This study aims at answering what are the differences in socio-demographic status of patients with type 2 diabetes living in the city and the countryside and what is the impact of a place of residence on the level of metabolic control, the incidence of complications of diabetes and quality of life (QoL).
Materials and methods: 274 patients were divided into 2 groups: residents of rural areas-28.2% (n=77) and residents of urban areas-71.9% (n=197). Self-reported questionnaires was used: EQ-5D, DQL-BCI and DSC-R.
Results: The group of residents of the countryside was characterized by a lower income and education level and a higher number of persons with disability pension. Patients living in the country had a higher body mass index in comparison to town inhabitants (32.6 kg/m(2) vs 30.9 kg/m(2), p=0.008) and shorter diabetes duration (8.4 versus 11.3 years, p=0.008). There were no differences between residents of the countryside and towns in terms of the method of treatment (oral antidiabetic drugs: 70.1% and 65.5%, p=0.3, Insulin: 29.9% and 36.5%, p=0.3, respectively), occurring chronic complications of diabetes (retinopathy: 14.3% and 14.2%, neuropathy: 6.5% and 7.6%, coronary heart disease: 44.45 and 37.1%, respectively) and the availability of diabetologists. Patients living in the countryside did not differ from town inhabitants in metabolic control and QoL assessment (EQ-5D index: 0.80 vs 0.79, p=0.9, EQ-VAS: 56.2 vs 54.3, p=0.2, DQL-BCI: 56.0 vs 53.9, p=0.1, DSC-R: 29.6 vs 29.4, p=0.7).
Conclusions: The socio-demographic differences between groups dependent on the place of living did not exert a significant influence on the level of metabolic control of diabetes, the incidence of late complications or QoL assessment in the population studied.