Public Awareness of Diabetes Mellitus in Ahvaz

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most important chronic diseases which is substantially increasing in the world especially in developing countries. Nowadays changes in life style, inadequate diabetic habits, sedentary life and obesity are among the most significant causes of type 2 diabetes. Increase in general population knowledge can greatly reduce the expansion of the disease and progression of its complications. The aim of the present study was determine population knowledge of diabetes mellitus in Ahvaz.Subjects and

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study on 400 visitors of Simorgh exhibition of Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences which was held during the 10 days of Fajr in 2009 were the subjects of this study. Data were collected by a questionnaire and analyzed by chi-square test with SPSS.

The awareness of diabetes amont Ahvazians was good in 36.8 %, at intermediate level in 44.2 % and weak in 19 % of the subjects of the study. Average age of participants was 31years.Women's knowledge was more than men (P