Diabetes in the indigenous population of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Abstract

Diabetes prevalence and complications rates were examined for the indigenous population of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific. Diabetes is common, with 4% of the population and 11% of adults having diagnosed diabetes. Diabetes is more common among females and islanders of Carolinian descent. End stage renal disease, hospitalizations for pneumonia, non-traumatic lower extremity amputations and retinopathy are more common than expected (with relative risks of 3.9, 3.0, 1.5 and 1.3, respectively, compared with diabetics in US), while diabetes-related mortality and hospitalizations for ischemic heart disease/cerebrovascular disease are less (with relative risks of 0.9 and 0.8). Implications for primary and secondary prevention of diabetes and its complications are discussed.