Increased Prevalence of Diabetes in Argentina Is Due to Easier Health Care Access Rather than to an Actual Increase in Prevalence

Adolfo Rubinstein, Laura Gutierrez, Andrea Beratarrechea and Vilma E Irazola

PLOS ONE, 2014, vol. 9, issue 4, 1-5

Abstract: Introduction: According to the Argentine National Risk Factor Survey (ANRFS), between 2005 and 2009, self-reported Diabetes increased in Argentina from 8.4% to 9.6%, accompanied by a raise in the prevalence of obesity and low physical activity. In the same period, it also increased blood sugar checks from 69.3% to 75.7%. Since surveillance data in Argentina rely on self-reports, the estimated prevalence of diabetes may be affected by an increase in the proportion of subjects with access to preventive services. We evaluated the independent effect of a recent blood sugar check, on the increase in self-reported diagnoses of diabetes between 2005 and 2009. Materials and Methods: A secondary analysis of data from the 2005 and 2009 ANRFS was performed. Diabetes was defined as having been diagnosed Diabetes or high blood sugar by a health professional, obesity was calculated as BMI≥30 kg/m2, based on self-reported height and weight and physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. We used logistic regression models to explore the relationship between prevalence of self-reported diabetes and recent blood sugar check as the main predictor. Results: The prevalence of diabetes rose from 8.4% to 9.6%; obesity from 14.5% to 18% and low physical activity from 46.2% to 55%, between 2005 and 2009. Among those who recently checked their blood sugar no differences were found in the prevalence of diabetes: 13% in 2005 vs. 13.2% in 2009. Findings of the multivariable analysis showed that obesity and low physical activity were significantly associated with self reported diabetes in the adjusted model (OR = 1.80 for obesity, and OR = 1.12 for low physical activity but the strongest predictor was recent blood sugar check (OR = 4.75). Discussion: An increased prevalence of self-reported diabetes between 2005 and 2009 might indicate an improvement in the access to preventive services rather than a positive increase in the prevalence of diabetes.

Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0092245

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092245

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