title: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus among older people in Africa: a systematic review study protocol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The number of people with diabetes in Africa is projected to increase substantially in the next two decades, due to factors including rapid urbanisation, adoption of unhealthy diets and exercise patterns and the ageing of the population. There are currently uncertainties regarding the incidence, prevalence and management patterns of diabetes in older people across the diversity of African countries. We wish to perform a systematic review to determine the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Africa in the older individual, over the age of 55 years, reported in studies from 2000 to 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive literature search among a number of databases will be undertaken, using an African search filter to identify diabetes prevalence studies that were published from 2000 to 2013. Full copies of articles identified by the search, and considered to meet the inclusion criteria, will be obtained for data extraction and synthesis. Statistical analysis of the primary measures, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and oral glucose tolerance test will include two steps: (1) identification of data sources and documenting estimates and (2) application of the random-effects meta-analysis model to aggregate prevalence estimates and account for between study variability in calculating the overall pooled estimates and 95% CI for diabetes prevalence. Heterogeneity will be evaluated using the I(2) statistic to determine the extent of variation in effect estimates that is due to heterogeneity rather than chance. This systematic review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Ethics is not required for this study, given that this is a protocol for a systematic review, which utilises published data. The findings of this study will be widely disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.
authors.affiliation: Chronic Disease Initiative for Africa (CDIA), Cape Town, South Africa Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa Division of Diabetic Medicine and Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Werfalli
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Centre for Evidence Based Health Care, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Musekiwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa Division of Diabetic Medicine and Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Centre for Evidence Based Health Care, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa Non-Communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council & University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Andre P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Kengne
authors.affiliation: Chronic Disease Initiative for Africa (CDIA), Cape Town, South Africa Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa Division of Diabetic Medicine and Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Naomi S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Levitt
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012107:Research Design; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic
keywords: Diabetes & Endocrinology