Using the World Wide Web—a new approach to risk identification of diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a major health problem with a rising tendency world-wide. A new strategy for risk evaluation and data collection of undiagnosed non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) using the World Wide Web (WWW) is presented. An easy-to-handle questionnaire on typical risk factors was converted into an interactive WWW document. The Internet provides the suitable platform for the net-based distribution of the questionnaire form as well as the computer-assisted entering and interpretation of the data (http://www.uni-leipzig.de/∼diabetes). The analysis program, installed on our WWW server, interprets the information and sends the assessment on-line back to the inquiring user PC. The data are also collected anonymously in a database for epidemiological studies. In the test period, 744 world-wide accesses were registered: 433 men, mean age 39.8±14.4 years (range 10–83) and 311 women, mean age 36.7±12.7 years (range 11–77). An increased risk for undiagnosed diabetes was identified to 43.6%. The risk profile of male and female users showed no significant gender-related differences. Using the WWW technology can support early detection and adequate treatment of undiagnosed diabetes. This innovative strategy to screen for a high risk profile is an useful, cost-effective and up-to-date tool for broad community health education and epidemiological studies world-wide.