Association of neighbourhood socioeconomic status and diabetes burden using electronic health records in Madrid (Spain): the HeartHealthyHoods study

Objective

To study the association between neighbourhood socioeconomic status and diabetes prevalence, incidence, and control in the entire population of northeastern Madrid, Spain.

Setting

Electronic health records of the primary-care system in four districts of Madrid (Spain).

Participants

269 942 people aged 40 or older, followed from 2013 to 2014.

Exposure

Neighbourhoodsocioeconomic status (NSES), measured using a composite index of seven indicators from four domains of education, wealth, occupation and living conditions.

Primary outcome measures

Diagnosis of diabetes based on ICPC-2 codes and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c %).

Results

In regression analyses adjusted by age and sex and compared with individuals living in low NSES neighbourhoods, men living in medium and high NSES neighbourhoods had 10% (95% CI: 6% to 15%) and 29% (95% CI: 25% to 32%) lower prevalence of diabetes, while women had 27% (95% CI: 23% to 30%) and 50% (95% CI: 47% to 52%) lower prevalence of diabetes. Moreover, the hazard of diabetes in men living in medium and high NSES neighbourhoods was 13% (95% CI: 1% to 23%) and 20% (95% CI: 9% to 29%) lower, while the hazard of diabetes in women living in medium and high NSES neighbourhoods was 17% (95% CI: 3% to 29%) and 31% (95% CI: 20% to 41%) lower. Individuals living in medium and high SES neighbourhoods had 8% (95% CI: 2% to 15%) and 15% (95% CI: 9% to 21%) lower prevalence of lack of diabetes control, and a decrease in average HbA1c % of 0.05 (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.10) and 0.11 (95% CI: 0.06 to 0.15).

Conclusions

Diabetes prevalence, incidence and lack of control increased with decreasing NSES in a southern European city. Future studies should provide mechanistic insights and targets for intervention to address this health inequity.

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