A new study from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed the income-related inequalities (IRI) in rates of diabetes between 2001 and 2018. Diabetes prevalence has increased over the past two decades, disproportionately affecting low-income populations.
Further, the income-related inequalities in diabetes differed by sex and age group. For females, the degree of inequality decreased during 2001−2012 and increased after 2012. Adults aged 45−64 years had the highest level of IRI in diabetes. The degree of inequality increased in each age group during 2001−2018.
“We found that low-income populations are more likely to have diabetes and that income-related inequalities in diabetes appear to have widened over the past decade,” said Yu Chen, Ph.D., Prevention Effectiveness Fellow in CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation. “This research suggests addressing factors early and developing and scaling effective type 2 diabetes prevention interventions among lower-income populations can help reduce diabetes inequalities.”
The authors note that future studies are needed to further investigate the factors accounting for inequalities in diabetes prevalence.
Edited by Maryssa Gordon, Senior Editor, Price of Business Digital Network
