Undiagnosed diabetes based on HbA 1c by socioeconomic status and healthcare consumption in the Tromsø Study 1994-2016

Abstract

Introduction We aimed to investigate whether the proportion of undiagnosed diabetes varies by socioeconomic status and healthcare consumption, in a Norwegian population screened with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c).

Research design and methods In this cohort study, we studied age-standardized diabetes prevalence using data from men and women aged 40–89 years participating in four surveys of the Tromsø Study with available data on HbA1c and self-reported diabetes: 1994–1995 (n=6720), 2001 (n=5831), 2007–2008 (n=11 987), and 2015–2016 (n=20 170). We defined undiagnosed diabetes as HbA1c ≥6.5% (48 mmol/mol) and no self-reported diabetes. We studied the association of education, income and contact with a general practitioner on undiagnosed diabetes and estimated adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) from multivariable adjusted (age, sex, body mass index) log-binomial regression.

Results Higher education was associated with lower prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes. Those with secondary and tertiary education had lower prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes (aPR for tertiary vs primary: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.44 to 0.66). Undiagnosed as a proportion of all diabetes was also significantly lower in those with tertiary education (aPR:0.78, 95% CI: 0.65 to 0.93). Household income was also negatively associated with prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes. Across the surveys, approximately 80% of those with undiagnosed diabetes had been in contact with a general practitioner the last year, similar to those without diabetes.

Conclusions Undiagnosed diabetes was lower among participants with higher education. The hypothesis that those with undiagnosed diabetes had been less in contact with a general practitioner was not supported.