Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Profile: Is There a Gender Difference?

Diabetes mellitus is viewed as a community health issue. Diabetes mellitus, a chronic and progressive disease, is now becoming one of the most severe illnesses to affect many people worldwide. It has primarily affected the majority of people living in Arabic countries and other countries. The World Health Organization gauges that diabetes mellitus will influence more than 350 million people worldwide by 2030, with the quantity of sufferers being dramatically increased from the year 2000. This study aimed to assess gender differences in the demographic profile as well as to evaluate the gender differences in relation to age, body mass index, activity of daily living, peripheral neuropathic pain, psychological distress, level of knowledge, duration of disease, and vitamin D results. A descriptive cross-sectional correlational design used to collect data from random systematic sample of type 2 diabetes mellitus participants who are attending primary health clinic through face-to-face interview. The study questionnaires included demographic profile, level of diabetes mellitus knowledge, neuropathic pain symptom inventory, vitamin D status, psychological distress, and functional profile for activities of daily living. There was a positive correlation between duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus for both genders and their age (r = .21 for male and r =. 24 for female, p = < .01); between peripheral neuropathic pain and psychological distress (r = .40 for male and r =. 37 for female, p = < .01), and between duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetes mellitus knowledge only for males (r = .14, p = < .05). Only for female participants, there was a negative correlation between age and diabetes mellitus knowledge (r = -. 23, p = < .01), body mass index and vitamin D status (r = -. 27, p = < .01), as well as between activity of daily living and peripheral neuropathic pain (r = -. 34, p = < .01). For male participants, there was a negative correlation between psychological distress and activity of daily living (r = -. 27, p = < .01). There were positive correlations between duration of DM for both genders and their age; as well as NPSI and psychological distress. While both genders had a negative correlation between psychological distress and ADL. There were positive correlations between duration of DM and DM knowledge and between duration of DM and NPSI for male participants. Furthermore, there were negative correlations between age and DM knowledge, BMI and vitamin D status, as well as between ADL and NPSI for female participants. There is a necessity to develop a health educational program that enhance self-management behavior among diabetics that include chronic nature of the disease, glycemic control via home blood glucose monitoring and HbA1c level, dietary guidelines, benefits of physical activity, DM long-term complications, annual check-ups, pain and stress management, and best use of support services.