Prevalence and Psychosocial Correlates of Diabetes Mellitus in South Africa: Results from the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1)

Sibusiso Sifunda, Anthony David Mbewu, Musawenkosi Mabaso, Thabang Manyaapelo (), Ronel Sewpaul, Justin Winston Morgan, Nigel Walsh Harriman, David R. Williams and Sasiragha Priscilla Reddy
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Sibusiso Sifunda: Public Health, Societies and Belonging, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Anthony David Mbewu: School of Medicine, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa 0208, South Africa
Musawenkosi Mabaso: Public Health, Societies and Belonging, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Thabang Manyaapelo: Social Science Core, Africa Health Research Institute, Somkhele 3925, South Africa
Ronel Sewpaul: Public Health, Societies and Belonging, Human Sciences Research Council, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
Justin Winston Morgan: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Nigel Walsh Harriman: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
David R. Williams: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Sasiragha Priscilla Reddy: Faculty of Health Sciences, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: In South Africa, there are a limited number of population estimates of the prevalence of diabetes and its association with psychosocial factors. This study investigates the prevalence of diabetes and its psychosocial correlates in both the general South African population and the Black South African subpopulation using data from the SANHANES-1. Diabetes was defined as a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥6.5% or currently on diabetes treatment. Multivariate ordinary least squares and logistic regression models were used to determine factors associated with HbA1c and diabetes, respectively. The prevalence of diabetes was significantly higher among participants who identified as Indian, followed by White and Coloured people, and lowest among Black South Africans. General population models indicated that being Indian, older aged, having a family history of diabetes, and being overweight and obese were associated with HbA1c and diabetes, and crowding was inversely associated with HbA1c and diabetes. HbA1c was inversely associated with being White, having higher education, and residing in areas with higher levels of neighborhood crime and alcohol use. Diabetes was positively associated with psychological distress. The study highlights the importance of addressing the risk factors of psychological distress, as well as traditional risk factors and social determinants of diabetes, in the prevention and control of diabetes at individual and population levels.

Keywords: non-communicable diseases (NCDs); diabetes; psychosocial determinants; psychological distress; epidemiological transition; Black South African; urban; rural; South Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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