Treatment and Awareness of Type 2 Diabetes in Beijing, China, Compared to New York

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine awareness and treatment of type 2 diabetes among Beijingers.

Methods: Surveys generated in Mandarin and English were used to poll 75 Beijingers with type 2 diabetes, 29 Beijingers without diabetes, and 23 New Yorkers without diabetes. Beijing data were compared with diabetes statistics on exercise and blood glucose testing frequency from the 2002 New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Community Health Survey and the 2003, 2004, and 2005 New York State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Results: The surveyed Beijingers with diabetes used primarily only Western pills to treat their type 2 diabetes, and a smaller percentage used traditional Chinese medicine. Most of the surveyed Beijingers with diabetes wrote that they exercised regularly. Most exercised at least 7 times per week. About half of the surveyed Beijingers with diabetes had no food restrictions. Virtually all of the surveyed Beijingers with diabetes tested their blood glucose, but approximately half of these individuals tested less than 1 time per week. Beijingers with diabetes were less aware than New York respondents who did not have diabetes of what diabetes is and the consequences of poor diabetes treatment. Beijingers who did not have diabetes were less aware than New Yorkers who did not have diabetes of what diabetesis, the symptoms, the causes, the treatments, and the consequences of poor diabetes treatment.

Conclusions: The results indicate that compared to New Yorkers with diabetes, Beijingers with diabetes tended to exercise much more frequently but tested their blood glucose less frequently. With the projected increase of type 2 diabetes in Beijing, more efforts need to be made to increase the frequency of blood glucose testing and basic diabetes awareness.