FOREIGN-BORN AND SWEDISH-BORN DIABETIC-PATIENTS - A POPULATION-BASED STUDY OF PREVALENCE, GLYCEMIC CONTROL AND SOCIAL POSITION

In this study foreign- and Swedish-born individuals with diabetes mell itus were compared regarding prevalence and characteristics. In a Swed ish county 1,568 patients aged 20-64 years were identified, of whom 97 .4% were included (143 foreign- and 1,384 Swedish-born) in the study o f medical records. There was no difference in prevalence of diabetes ( 1.4% (95% CI 1.2-1.7%) vs 1.5% (95% CI 1.4-1.6%)) but diagnosis at or after the age of 30 years was more common in foreign-born patients (p< 0.001). They were also less often treated with insulin (p<0.001), had shorter duration of diabetes (p<0.001), were more often classified as having a low social position in Sweden (p<0.001) and less often contro lled in specialized diabetes care departments (p<0.001, 18% vs 43%). T here was a higher occurrence of albuminuria among foreign-born women ( p<0.05). No differences were found in glycaemic control, but low socia l position was related to poor glycaemic control independent of being foreign- or Swedish-born, and it seems to be more important than place of birth.