Factors associated with a diabetes diagnosis and late diabetes diagnosis for males and females

Abstract

Aims: To examine the factors associated with diabetes, a late diabetes diagnosis, and whether these factors are different for males and females.

Methods: Cross-sectional study including 7101 individuals aged ≥25 years in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (466 with diabetes; 332 diagnosed late). Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with a diabetes diagnosis and late diabetes diagnosis.

Results: For males, overweight/obesity (HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.06-1.72) was positively associated with diabetes while being a regular/occasional drinker (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.32-0.88) was inversely associated with diabetes. Living in a rural area (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.01-2.15), receiving social assistance (HR, 2.80; 95% CI, 1.52-5.15), having poor self perceived health (HR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.32-3.21), and considering most days stressful (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.01-2.10) were positively associated with diabetes for females. No factors were significantly associated with a late diabetes diagnosis for males. Having a low education (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.11-0.99) was inversely associated with a late diabetes diagnosis for females.

Conclusions: Different factors are associated with diabetes for males and females. Disadvantaged females appear to be at the greatest risk. The factors associated with a late diabetes diagnosis were also different for males and females. Females with lower education levels are diagnosed with diabetes earlier than females with higher education levels. Certain risk factors appear to impact males and females differently and more research is needed on how males and females develop diabetes and when they are diagnosed.

Keywords: Canadian Community Health Survey; Diabetes; Late diabetes diagnosis; Sex differences.

Figure 1

Percentage of males and females diagnosed with diabetes early and late.