The role of gender in compliance and attendance at an outpatient clinic for type 2 diabetes mellitus in Trinidad El papel del género en el cumplimiento del tratamiento y en la asistencia a dos clínicas ambulatorias para pacientes con diabetes sacarina en Trinidad

• Main Authors: Feaz Babwah, Soraiya Baksh, Leandra Blake, Janine Cupid-Thuesday, Ian Hosein, Anneela Sookhai, Celia Poon-King, Gerard Hutchinson
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Pan American Health Organization 2006
• Subjects: Diabetes mellitus; identidad de género; cooperación del paciente; gender identity; patient compliance; Medicine; R; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic; Trinidad
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/9a6c737cc64141c49b38b459d3286a81

OBJECTIVES: To explore the association between gender and (1) attendance and (2) compliance with treatment in a population of patients with diabetes who attended outpatient clinics in the island of Trinidad (Trinidad and Tobago). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 360 patients who met the selection criteria. Simple consecutive sampling and a questionnaire were used to interview clinic attendees at two urban clinics in east and south Trinidad. RESULTS: 74.2% (267) of the participants were women. A higher percentage of women than men were unemployed (79.4% vs. 59.1%, P < 0.001). Men were more likely to consume alcohol (26.9% vs. 11.6%, P < 0.001) and smoke cigarettes (20.4% vs. 5.6% , P < 0.001). Women were more compliant than men regarding diet (39.3% vs. 22.6%, P < 0.005) and prescribed medication (71.9% vs. 65.6%, P < 0.04). Women were more satisfied than men with dispensary (81.3% vs. 71.0%, P < 0.04) and clinic conditions (92.1% vs. 84.9%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: More women attended the clinic, and their compliance with the treatment regimen was better than in men. The latter were more likely to engage in health risk behaviors such as drinking and smoking. Efforts focused on men with diabetes mellitus in Trinidad and Tobago are needed to encourage greater compliance. OBJETIVOS: Explorar la asociación entre el género y 1) la asistencia a consultas y 2) el cumplimiento del tratamiento en una población de pacientes con diabetes sacarina (mellitus) atendida en clínicas ambulatorias de la isla de Trinidad (en Trinidad y Tabago). MÉTODOS: Se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal con una muestra de 360 pacientes que llenaron los requisitos de inclusión. Se realizó un muestreo sencillo de pacientes consecutivos y se aplicó un cuestionario para entrevistar a personas atendidas en dos clínicas ambulatorias urbanas del oriente y sur de Trinidad. RESULTADOS: De los participantes, 74,2% eran mujeres. En términos porcentuales, más mujeres que hombres estaban sin empleo (79,4% ...