The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes and its associated health problems in a community-dwelling elderly population.
OBJECTIVE
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 > or = 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.
Hewitt
J
J
Portsmouth Hospitals Trust, Portsmouth, UK. jonathan.hewitt@porthosp.nhs.uk
Smeeth
L
L
Bulpitt
C J
CJ
Fletcher
A E
AE
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment