Assessing Individuals Attending the Family Medicine Clinic for Periodic Health Examinations in Screening of Diabetes Mellitus

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the presence and risk of diabetes mellitus (DM) and the factors affecting the risk in those who visited the family medicine outpatient clinic. Methods: The present study included adult patients who presented to the outpatient clinic for periodic health examination between February 4, 2022, and April 4, 2022, and who had no known history of DM and were eligible for screening. Anthropometric measurements of the participants were made and their clinical and familial histories were taken in relation to DM. HbA1c and fasting blood glucose (FBG) tests were conducted for each participant. Results: A total of 125 participants, 87 (69.6%) women and 38 (30.4%) men, were included in the study, and five (4%) participants had diabetes. The analysis of the independent risk factors associated with diabetes by multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the presence of DM in the family increased the risk of having HbA1c ≥ 5.7% (OR: 3.441; 95% CI: 1.381-8,574; p=0.008). Among women, the waist circumference being > 95 cm was determined as a discriminating factor for HbA1c ≥ 5.7% (sensitivity: 61.54% and specificity: 68.85%). Conclusion: Accurate patient-centered risk assessments by family physicians can lead to positive lifestyle modifications in patients. For this purpose, family physicians should evaluate the patients for diabetes and its associated risk factors and encourage them to take measures in order to prevent diabetes.