Increasing Incidence and Prevalence of Diabetes Among Status Aboriginal Men in Rural and Urban Alberta 1995 to 2006

Abstract

Increasing Incidence and Prevalence of Diabetes Among Status Aboriginal Men in Rural and Urban Alberta, 1995 to 2006. JEFFREY A. JOHNSON, STEPHANIE U. VERMEULEN, GREG HUGEL, ELLEN TOTH, BRENDA R. HEMMELGARN, KELLI RALPH-CAMPBELL, MALCOLM KING. School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. Institute of Health Economics, Edmonton, AB, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. The increase in diabetes rates among Status Aboriginal (SA) Canadians is well documented. Less is known about the epidemiology of diabetes for this population by location of residence. Trends of diabetes incidence and prevalence between SA men and women living in urban and rural areas of Alberta were compared. The Alberta Diabetes Surveillance System (ADSS) tracks diabetes population trends using diagnostic codes from administrative records from Alberta Health and Wellness (AHW) (1995 to 2006 in adults aged >20 years). Aboriginal Status was identified as registered Indians in the AHW Stakeholder Registry. Location of residence was defined by postal code. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare prevalence and incidence rates over time, by sex and location of residence. Age-sex adjusted diabetes prevalence increased 35%, from 10.9% (10.4-11.5) in 1995 to 14.7% (14.2-15.2) in 2006 in rural SA and 22%, from 9.4% (8.5-10.3) in 1995 to 11.5% (10.9-12.1) in 2006 among urban SA. The greatest increases were for men, at 40% and 43% compared to 12% and 30% for women (p<0.0001), in urban and rural settings, respectively. SA men with urban residences had the greatest increase in diabetes incidence at 45%, from 7.4 (4.9-10.6) per 1000 in 1995 to 10.7 (8.3-13.5) per 1000 in 2006. Incidence increased 25% for SA women in urban locations, but did not significantly change for women in rural locations (p=0.109). Significant increases in incidence and prevalence of diabetes over the past decade were observed amongst the SA population in Alberta. Prevalence and incidence were highest in SA women, but these rates have increased faster in men over the past decade, regardless of where they lived. ABSTRACT #29