Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of diabetes mellitus in rural Rwanda: time to contextualize the interventions? A cross-sectional study

Existing prevention and treatment strategies target the classic types of diabetes yet this approach might not always be appropriate in some settings where atypical phenotypes exist. This study aims to assess the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of people with diabetes in rural Rwanda compared to those of urban dwellers. A cross-sectional, clinic-based study was conducted in which individuals with diabetes mellitus were consecutively recruited from April 2015 to April 2016. Demographic and clinical data were collected from patient interviews, medical files and physical examinations. Chi-square tests and T-tests were used to compare proportions and means between rural and urban residents. A total of 472 participants were recruited (mean age 40.2 ± 19.1 years), including 295 women and 315 rural residents. Compared to urban residents, rural residents had lower levels of education, were more likely to be employed in low-income work and to have limited access to running water and electricity. Diabetes was diagnosed at a younger age in rural residents (mean ± SD 32 ± 18 vs 41 ± 17 years; p