In a clinic-based study, the extent to which diabetes knowledge, attitude and compliance related to glycemic control was explored. Three hundred Saudi diabetic women aged 20 years and above were randomly selected from the register of the Diabetics and Endocrine Centre in Dammam, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and personally interviewed using a pre-structured questionnaire. As an index of glycemic control, the glycated hemoglobin was assayed using a microcolumn technique. The main findings were: generally low score levels of knowledge, attitude and compliance. THe mean glycated hemoglobin was significantly higher in type I (IDDM) (10.2 +/- 2.2%) than in type 2 (NIDDM) diabetic respondents (9.1 +/- 2.0%), P = 0.001. Evidence from this study suggests there is a need for sustained active patient education, support and evaluation, in order to increase patient involvement and self-reliance in the management of their diabetes. It is recommended that diabetes care be principally the responsibility of appropriately trained and culturally compatible members of the primary health care team working in partnership with other secondary care services. Medical audit of diabetes at the primary health care level would improve clinical performance in this field.