In order to investigate the social consequencies of diabetes we sent a questionnaire to all diabetic patients aged 20-50 years and 1.125 matched non-diabetic controls living in the county of Västerbotten in Northern Sweden. The response rate was 87% and 72%, respectively. Patients more often lived alone (18 vs 13% p < 0,05) and had no children (39 vs 31% p < 0,01). They were more often the only child of their parents (14 vs 8%, p < 0,01). Thirty-seven percent of the patients and 22% of the controls (p < 0,001) had been absent from work because of illness more than one month continuously during the last 3 years and had more often than controls prematurely retired from work (8 vs 2% p < 0,001). Patients more often had hobbies (86 vs 76%, p < 0,001) and were participating in social activities (52 vs 41%, p < 0,001), but were less satisfied with their leisure time (71 vs 80%, p < 0,001). Forty percent of the patients vs 31% of the controls (p < 0,01) did not visit neighbours. Fifty-one percent of the patients vs 44% of the controls (p < 0,05) never spent leisure time with their work mates. No significant differences were found in education, socioeconomic class, dwelling or household economy.
The study shows that there are social differences between diabetic patients and non-diabetic people even though they are not overwhelming.
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