Discriminant Analysis of Factors Affecting Diabetic Retinopathy Severity among Diabetic Patients at Banphaeo Hospital (Public Organization)

Abstract

         The purposes of this research were to study the severity level of diabetic retinopathy and analyze discriminant factors affecting Diabetic retinopathy in diabetic patients at Banphaeo hospital. The sample of this study were 135 diabetic patients who came for the first retinal examination at the outpatient department and were diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy. Data collection was performed by using a retrospective medical chart review randomly selected to examine the patients’ profiles. The research instruments consisted of two parts: First was the record form of general and physical factors; and second was the record form of the severity level of diabetic retinopathy. The instruments were validated by a panel of experts. The reliability of the test for record form was 0.90. Statistical techniques used in data analysis were percentage, mean, standard deviation and discriminant analysis.

          The results of the research study did show that most of patients with diabetic retinopathy in Banphaeo hospital aged between 41- 60 years and were more female than male. The severity level of diabetic retinopathy was mostly at level 5: Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) at 36.30 %, followed by level 3: Moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (Moderate NPDR) 35.60 %. The glycemic control factor was the only factor that affected diabetic retinopathy which was statistically significant at the 0.05 level. 

          Findings from the study demonstrated that in diabetic patients, glycemic control is the most important factor to prevent complications in order to avoid vision loss.