DIABETES-MELLITUS AND HEALTH-CARE TRANSIT ION

To document the existence of an epidemiologic and a health care transi tion in Mexico, diabetes mellitus (DM) mortality was analyzed. Age and sex adjusted mortality rates were estimated for each one of the state s of Mexico, as well as the mean age at death, the number of years of potential life lost, and their percent distribution. The geographic di stribution of these variables was ploted in maps according to tertiles or quartiles. The proportion of deaths due to acute and chronic compl ications of DM was classified according to community size. Polarized p atterns of DM mortality as well as in the percentage contribution of d eaths due to its acute and chronic complications were observed, in agr eement with the postulated transitional process.