Publications

Background and Aims: The burden of cognitive impairment (CI) is high in diabetes mellitus. CI can adversely affect the selfcare and management of diabetes, which results in an increase in the risk of hypo‐ or hyperglycaemic events and diabeticcomplications. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of CI in diabetic patients.Methods: A hospital‐based, cross‐sectional study was conducted among diabetic patients who were attending Jinja RegionalReferral Hospital (JRRH), Eastern Uganda, from April to June 2024. A pre‐designed data collection tool was used to capturesocio‐demographics and clinic profiles of the participants. A Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), version 8.1, was used toassess the CI (score: ≥26=normal,<26=cognitive impairment) in diabetic patients. We used a binary and multiple logisticregression analysis to identify predictors of CI in diabetes.Results: The prevalence of CI among diabetic patients was 63.11% (95% CI: 58.3–67.9), and it was high among Type II diabeticpatients (66.96%). Most of the patients have mild CI (73.77%). Delayed recall (78.96%) and language (73.77%) cognitive domains weregreatly affected. Variables like advanced age (AOR=6.08; 95% CI=2.05–18.03), education (Illiterate: AOR=5.90; 95%CI =2.16–16.14; primary: AOR=17.07; 95% CI=5.64–51.71), alcohol use (AOR=2.56; 95% CI=1.22–5.37), no physical activity(AOR=5.24; 95% CI=2.52–10.91), type II diabetes (AOR=7.02; 95% CI=2.17–22.64), duration of diabetes (5–10 years: AOR =14.09;95% CI=5.75–34.55; >10 years: AOR=78.80; 95% CI=23.79–260.95), uncontrolled blood glucose (AOR =5.13; 95% CI=1.91–13.83),hypertension (AOR=5.26; 95% CI=2.08–13.34), and diabetic complications (AOR=4.30; 95% CI=1.38–13.36) were significantlyassociated with CI among diabetic patients