Evidence of an increasing prevalence of diagnosed diabetes mellitus in thePoole area from 1983 to 1996

This study examined the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes mellitus in a defi ned population over 13 years by undertaking cross-sectional surveys on 3 oc casions between 1983 and 1996. The study population consisted of all the pe ople registered with 10 general (primary care) practices at the time of eac h survey; 90660 in 1983/4; 97122 in 1988/9; and 86287 in 1996. Ascertainmen t of cases was by a surveillance programme in general practice and the hosp ital diabetes department. The number of diabetic patients increased signifi cantly over the study period: in 1983/4, there were 917 patients, crude pre valence 1.01 % (95 % CI 0.95-1.08 %); in 1988/9, 1150 patients, crude preva lence 1.17 % (1.12-1.25 %); and in 1996, 1604 patients, crude prevalence 1. 86 % (1.77-1.95 %). The prevalence adjusted to the age and sex distribution of the UK was 0.97 % (95 % CI 0.90-1.03 %) in 1983/4, 1.05 % (0.99-1.11 %) in 1988/9 and 1.55 % (1.48-1.63 %) in 1996. The main increase in prevalenc e was due to Type 2 diabetes mellitus, crude prevalence 0.75 % (95 % CI 0.6 9-0.81 %) in 1983/4, 0.92 % (0.86-0.98 %) in 1988/9 and 1.52 % (1.44-1.60 % ) in 1996 rather than Type 1 diabetes mellitus, crude prevalence 0.25 % (0. 21-0.28 %) in 1983/4, 0.25 % (0.22-0.28 %) in 1988/9 and 0.34 % (0.30-0.38 %) in 1996. During the study period, the crude prevalence of diagnosed diab etes was significantly greater in men than women; in 1983/4 men 1.1 % (95 % CI 1.00-1.20 %) Versus women 0.93 % (0.84-1.02 %); in 1988/9, men 1.31 % ( 1.21-1.41 %) versus women 1.07 % (0.98-1.16 %); and in 1996, men 2.13 % (2. 00-2.27 %) versus women 1.60 % (1.49-1.72 %). This difference was statistic ally significant in the 1988/9 and 1996 surveys. In conclusion, over 13 yea rs there was a significant increase of 83.6 % in the prevalence of diagnose d diabetes mellitus in the Poole area, with the UK age and sex adjusted pre valence increasing by 60.7 %. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.