Diabetes mellitus type-2 is unknown in 75% of cases--results of a population study in rural areas of the Lublin Region (Eastern Poland).

There are scare data concerning the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in rural population in Poland. Our study, performed in 1806 subjects from rural areas, showed that prevalence of diabetes mellitus in rural population is unexpectedly high (17.2%) and is higher than in urban population. The fact that 3/4 of the cases turned out to be the cases of previously undiagnosed diabetes mellitus is especially distressing. Thus, main efforts should be concentrated on the necessity of screening tests in the group which is not subjected to periodical medical examinations, the more so that the prevalence of obesity in women reached 40%. The family physician and an appropriate organisation of educational prophylaxis can play a major role in fighting this problem.