Prevalence of diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus in Greenland 2008: the impact of electronic database implementation on the quality of diabetes care.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the age specific prevalence of diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Greenland in 2008, and to evaluate the influence of electronic database access on the quality of the clinical management of the disease.


METHODS
Observational and cross-sectional study, review of medical records and databases.


METHODS
Data on T2DM patients were collected from each rural district in Greenland.


RESULTS
The number of patients with T2DM, their age and gender were collected from 15 out of 17 districts and from the outpatient clinic of internal medicine in Nuuk. This sampling represents 90% of the population in Greenland. The prevalence among Greenlanders > or = 40 years old is 2.1%. The prevalence increased with age. The quality in the management of T2DM based on process indicators is significantly higher in clinics with an electronic database than those without.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus in Greenland is low. When compared with previous population-based surveys, this suggests that the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes is high, especially in the age group between 40 and 60. Consequently, the focus should be on identifying undiagnosed type 2 diabetes in this group. The quality in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus seems to be improved by the use of an electronic database. Implementation of databases in all the clinics in Greenland is desirable.
Pedersen
Michael Lynge
ML
Center for Primary Health Care in Nuuk, Nuuk, Greenland. MILP@peqqik.gl