The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes and its associated health problems in a community-dwelling elderly population

• Published in: Diabetic medicine Vol. 26; no. 4; pp. 370 - 376
• Main Authors: Hewitt, J., Smeeth, L., Bulpitt, C. J., Fletcher, A. E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2009; Blackwell
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; associated health problems; Biological and medical sciences; diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - diagnosis; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Diabetic Angiopathies - diagnosis; Diabetic Angiopathies - epidemiology; elderly; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; England - epidemiology; Epidemiologic Methods; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Needs Assessment; prevalence; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vertebrates: endocrinology; England; Endocrinopathy; Human; Type 2 diabetes; Obesity; Prevalence; Nutrition; Nutrition disorder; Metabolic diseases; Housing; Epidemiology; associated health problems; At home; Population; Elderly; diabetes; Endocrinology; Nutritional status; Public health
• ISSN: 0742-3071; 1464-5491
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2009.02687.x

Aims  Prevalence estimates of Type 2 diabetes and its associated health problems in elderly populations are rare, especially in the very elderly. Methods  A sample of 15 095 community‐dwelling older people aged ≥ 75 years were assessed. Type 2 diabetes and associated health problems were identified using self‐reporting, general practitioner records, drug histories, and blood and urine measurements. Results  There were 1177 people identified as having Type 2 diabetes mellitus, giving an overall prevalence of 7.8% (95% confidence interval 7.1, 8.5), 9.4% (8.4, 10.5) for men and 6.8% (6.1, 7.6) for women. The age, sex and smoking adjusted odds ratios for various health problems, comparing people with and without diabetes were: low vision 1.6 (1.3, 1.9), proteinuria 1.7 (1.4, 2.1), chronic kidney disease stage 4 or 5 1.5 (1.0, 2.1), angina 1.3 (1.1, 1.6), myocardial infarction 1.5 (1.2, 1.8), cerebrovascular event 2.0 (1.8, 2.1) and foot ulceration 1.7 (1.2, 2.4). Conclusions  The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes is not high in community‐dwelling older people, but diabetes was a contributory factor to a number of health problems.