Table 1 Sociodemographic and medical characteristics of study population at baseline

Gender

   - Male

424

48

34

25

458

45

   - Female

453

52

98

75

551

55

Age (years)

Mean (SD)

67.3 (9.6)

80.1 (8.6)

69.0 (10.4)

- 40 – 49

38

4

1

1

39

4

- 50 – 59

173

20

2

2

175

17

- 60 – 69

331

38

11

8

342

34

- 70 – 79

272

31

52

39

324

32

- 80 +

65

7

66

50

131

13

Family status

   - single

36

4

14

11

50

5

   - married

593

72

34

26

627

65

   - widowed

168

20

78

59

246

26

   - divorced

30

4

5

4

30

4

Time since diagnosis of Diabetes (years)

   < 1 year

68

8

3

2

71

7

   1 to 4 years

246

28

24

19

270

27

   5 to 10 years

288

33

40

30

328

32

   > 10 years

246

28

59

44

305

30

   unknown

34

4

6

5

40

4

Diabetes medication

   - Diet only

282

32

48

36

330

32

   - Medication (Combinations possible)

- Insulin

194

22

50

38

244

25

- Sulfonylureas

332

38

38

29

370

36

- Metformin

304

34

14

11

318

31

Patient compliance (physicians' assessment)

- very good

164

19

11

9

175

18

- rather good

403

46

48

38

451

45

- rather bad

255

29

52

41

307

31

- very bad

46

5

15

12

61

6