Diabetic Retinopathy in Bahraini Primary Care: A Cross-Sectional Study of Prevalence and Clinical Predictors.
About 1 in 7 diabetic primary care patients in Bahrain had diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic Retinopathy in Bahraini Primary Care: A Cross-Sectional Study of Prevalence and Clinical Predictors.
Diabetic retinopathy (diabetic retinopathy) remains a prevalent cause of preventable blindness and one of the most serious complications of diabetes mellitus globally, which can be minimized by periodic screening and risk factor management.
This study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of diabetic retinopathy among diabetic patients in primary care in Bahrain.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in October-November 2025 across all primary healthcare centers in Bahrain.
Most participants were male (337, 56.7%), Bahraini (506, 85.2%), and had type 2 diabetes (575, 96.8%).
Univariate analysis showed that patients with retinopathy were older (P<0.001), had a longer diabetes duration (P<0.001), and higher rates of hypertension (P=0.001), dyslipidemia (P=0.009), chronic kidney disease (P<0.001), and ischemic heart disease (P=0.042).
Additionally, higher glycated hemoglobin (P=0.014), and triglycerides (P=0.022), and lower glomerular filtration rate (P<0.001) were found among patients with retinopathy.
Diabetic retinopathy affects one in seven diabetic patients attending primary care in Bahrain, particularly those with a longer disease duration, hypertension, poor glycemic control, and neuropathy.
Annual retinal screening, optimal glycemic control, and risk factor management by primary care professionals are essential to reduce its sequelae.