Diabetes mellitus in Egypt.

A series of surveys of diabetes mellitus (DM) have been performed in Egypt recently, using a common protocol and WHO criteria for diagnosis and classification. Average prevalence for the country as a whole for people above the age of 10 was 4.3%, with distinct geographical differences: 5.7% in urban areas, 4.1% in rural agricultural areas, and 1.5% in rural desert areas. In some secluded villages, DM was almost completely absent. Surveys among younger ages indicate prevalence of 0.01%, 0.06% and 0.14% among children at preparatory, primary and secondary school respectively. A high risk of DM is associated with family history of the disease, obesity, premature atherosclerosis and hypertension. The cost of ambulatory outpatient care for DM in Egypt is one of the lowest for Mediterranean countries. However, the cost of treatment of the various complications of diabetes is higher. The total direct cost of diabetes in Egypt in 1990 has been estimated at US$ 74.3 million, with indirect costs due to absenteeism from work adding a further US$ 11.8 million.