Objectives: The lack of population-based evidence on the risk factors for poor glycaemic control in diabetics, particularly in resource-poor settings, is a challenge for the prevention of long-term complications. This study aimed to identify the metabolic and demographic risk factors for poor glycaemic control among diabetics in a rural community in Malaysia.
Methods: A total of 1844 (780 males and 1064 females) known diabetics aged ≥ 35 years were identified from the South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) health and demographic surveillance site database.
Results: 41.3% of the sample had poor glycaemic control. Poor glycaemic control was associated with age and ethnicity, with older participants (65+) better controlled than younger adults (45-54), and Malaysian Indians most poorly controlled, followed by Malay and then Chinese participants. Metabolic risk factors were also highly associated with poor glycaemic control.
Conclusions: There is a critical need for evidence for a better understanding of the mechanisms of the associations between risk factors and glycaemic control.
Keywords: Ecological factors; Ethnicity; Glycaemic control; Health and demographic surveillance site; Metabolic risk factors.