RESUMO
AIMS: This study aimed to compare the sociodemographic and epidemiological profiles between Brazilian and French older people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Quantitative analytical study of 248 type 2 diabetes patients aged 65+ years receiving care in a center for integrated diabetes and hypertension care. The data were compared with the GERODIAB study conducted in France. RESULTS: The participants' mean age was 73.16 ± 6.4 years, with 162 (65.4%) participants aged less than 75 years and 38 (15.3%) over 80 years old. Almost all the participants (99.2%) lived at home, 35 (14.1%) were uneducated, and 17 (6.9%) had completed higher education. The majority (232 older people) were retired. Most of the median values of the variables differed statistically (p < 0.001) between the two populations. Peripheral vascular disease, diabetic neuropathy, foot wound, amputation, hypoglycemia, hyperosmolarity and other intercurrent infections differed statistically (p < 0.001) between the two populations. Most of the medication use variables differed significantly (p < 0.05) between Brazilians and the French. CONCLUSIONS: The statistically significant differences between the two populations reveal better conditions among the French participants, which highlights the importance of the scientific evidence found in the French study for developing public health actions targeted at Brazilian diabetic older people.