IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences (IOSR-JDMS) e-ISSN: 2279-0853, p-ISSN: 2279-0861.Volume 18, Issue 5 Ser. 3 (May. 2019), PP 22-27 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0853-1805032227 www.iosrjournals.org 22 | Page Assessment of delay in diagnosis and treatment adherence: A study in female diabetic patients attending the Out-Patient Department of a tertiary care hospital of West Bengal. Dr. Debasis Das, Dr. Aditi Roy*, Associate Professor, Community Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata. Member, Indian Association of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, 24B, Selimpur Lane, Kolkata – 700031 *Corresponding Author: Dr. Aditi Roy Abstract: Background: According to current WHO data there is significant increase in the global prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) Though diabetes is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity, more than half of the patients are unaware of their disease in the early stage. Objective: The study was aimed to assess delayed diagnosis of diabetes, its clinical presentation and adherence to diabetes treatment by the patients attending the Medicine Out-Patient Department (M-OPD) of Medical College, Kolkata. Methodology: The study was descriptive, observational and conducted at M-OPD of Medical College, Kolkata, during August and September, 2018. All adult female diabetic patients attending the M-OPD during the study period, were considered as study subjects. A predesigned and pre-tested data collection schedule was used, data analyzed in Excel workbook, Chi-square test was done to study the association at p≤0.05 significance level. Results: 47 Female diabetics from M-OPD of medical college, Kolkata, were interviewed to identify important predictors for delay-in-diagnosis as well as treatment adherence. Socioeconomic status and the classical symptoms of diabetes, particularly polyuria, were important predictors for diagnostic delay of diabetes. Socioeconomic status was again responsible for treatment adherence. Insulin therapy demonstrated greater adherence compared to oral anti-diabetic drugs. Conclusion: More mass awareness on the early symptoms of diabetes is needed. There should be provision for patient counseling on benefits of adherence to the diabetic treatment, including pharmacotherapy as well as healthcare measures like diet and lifestyle changes. Keywords: female diabetics, predictors, delayed diagnosis, treatment adherence, West Bengal. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 26-04-2019 Date of acceptance: 11-05-2019 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Background Current WHO data suggests that the global prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has risen from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014. (1) In India 69.2 million people were diabetic in 2015 and the projection for 2040 is 23.5 million (2). A major challenge with T2DM is diagnosis of the disease early in order to prevent progression to complications. More than half of the patients are unaware of their disease in the early stage. Even though males are more affected by diabetes, females have greater rate of mortality as well as associated morbidities due to the disease (3). Therefore, a cross sectional study was conducted in Medical College, Kolkata. The objective was to assess delayed diagnosis of diabetes, its clinical presentation and adherence to diabetes treatment by the patients attending the Medicine Out-Patient Department (M-OPD) of the hospital. II. Objectives The objectives of the study were to describe the clinical presentations of diabetes mellitus in adult females attending the M-OPD of Medical College, Kolkata. The extent of diagnostic delay and treatment adherence in these diabetic patients were assessed and finally, the predictors of delayed diagnosis and treatment adherence in diabetic females were identified. III. Methodology A descriptive, observational study was conducted to understand prevalence of delay in diagnosis and treatment adherence. The study was performed at the M-OPD of Medical College, Kolkata, during August and September, 2018. All adult female diabetic patients (n=47) attending the M-OPD between August-September, 2018, constituted the population of the study. Informed consent was obtained from them prior to the study. A