title: Socioeconomic inequalities in the incidence and prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Europe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyze socioeconomic position (SEP) inequalities in the prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in people aged 50 years and over in Europe and to describe the contribution of body mass index (BMI) and other possible mediators.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional and longitudinal study including men and women ≥ 50 years old in 11 European countries in 2004 and 2006 (n = 21,323). The prevalence and cumulative incidence of T2DM were calculated with self-reported T2DM or when the individual took drugs for diabetes. Prevalence ratio (PR) and relative risk (RR) of prevalent and incident T2DM were calculated according to educational level and adjusted by BMI and other possible mediators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age-adjusted and country-adjusted prevalence of T2DM in 2004 was 10.2% in men and 8.5% in women. Compared to those with higher education, men and women with lower education had a PR [95% CI] of T2DM of 1.29 [1.12-1.50] and 1.61 [1.39-1.86], respectively. SEP-related inequalities in incidence (RR [95%CI]) were 1.88 [1.35-2.62] in women and 1.04 [0.78-1.40] in men. Adjusting for potential mediators reduced inequalities in the prevalence and incidence of T2DM among women by 26.2% and 21.6%, respectively, and inequalities in prevalence among men by 44.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed significant inequalities in the prevalence and incidence (women only) of T2DM as a function of socioeconomic position. These inequalities were mediated by BMI.
authors: Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain. Electronic address: aespelt@aspb.cat.
authors: Albert
authors: A
authors: Espelt
authors: Carme
authors: C
authors: Borrell
authors: Laia
authors: L
authors: Palència
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Goday
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Spadea
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Gnavi
authors: Laia
authors: L
authors: Font-Ribera
authors: Anton E
authors: AE
authors: Kunst
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Diabetes mellitus tipo 2; Diabetes mellitus type 2; Europa; Europe; Factores socioeconómicos; Incidence; Incidencia; Prevalence; Prevalencia; Socioeconomic factors