PREVALENCE OF DIABETES-MELLITUS AMONG THE JAMES BAY CREE OF NORTHERN QUEBEC

Objective: To determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus among the James Bay Cree in northern Quebec. Design: Chart survey of physician-d iagnosed cases of diabetes. The biochemical criteria of 'the World Hea lth Organization were used to confirm the diagnoses. Setting: Eight Ja mes Bay Cree communities: six remote and two rural. Subjects: All Jame s Bay Cree with diabetes whose names were in a chronic disease registr y or on a diabetes clinic list kept at each community clinic. Outcome measures: Prevalence rates, both crude and standardized to the 1986 Ca nadian population, were estimated by sex, age group and type of diabet es. Results: A total of 235 cases of diabetes were confirmed, for a cr ude prevalence of 2.7%. The age-standardized rate of non-insulin-depen dent diabetes mellitus was 6.6% among people 20 years and over. The pr evalence increased as the latitude decreased. Conclusions: Our crude p revalence resembles that in similar native linguistic and cultural gro ups elsewhere in Canada. Diabetes is becoming an important disease in the Cree population of Quebec. A better understanding of the sociocult ural changes in this population is necessary.