[The nurses' role in the control of diabetic patients].

At present diabetes mellitus is a health problem that increases as the society develops. A retrospective and descriptive investigation was made with 21 diabetic patients from the health area of the "Josue País García" Polyclinic, in Santiago de Cuba, from January to December, 1994. The survey used included the following variables: age, sex, occupation, attendance to the Diabetic Care Center, distribution according to the type of diabetes, knowledge of this disease, participation in physical exercises and fulfillment of the therapeutic. There was a predominance of female patients over 46 and of non-insulin dependent or type II patients. The completion of the essential aspects in the treatment of these patients was proved in 76.1% of the sample.