Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the associations between socioeconomic deprivation and sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) in individuals with type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Data from 175,628 individuals with diabetes in the Health Improvement Network were used to assess the risk of STDR across Townsend Deprivation Index quantiles using Cox proportional hazard regression.
RESULTS
Among individuals with T1D, the risk of STDR was three times higher (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.67, 95% CI 1.05–7.78) in the most deprived quintile compared with the least deprived quintile. In T2D, the most deprived quintile had a 28% higher risk (aHR 1.28; 95% CI 1.15–1.43) than the least deprived quintile.
CONCLUSIONS
Increasing socioeconomic deprivation is associated with a higher risk of developing STDR in people with diabetes. This underscores persistent health disparities linked to poverty, even within a country offering free universal health care. Further research is needed to address health equity concerns in socioeconomically deprived regions.
To evaluate the associations between socioeconomic deprivation and sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) in individuals with type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Data from 175,628 individuals with diabetes in the Health Improvement Network were used to assess the risk of STDR across Townsend Deprivation Index quantiles using Cox proportional hazard regression.
RESULTS
Among individuals with T1D, the risk of STDR was three times higher (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.67, 95% CI 1.05–7.78) in the most deprived quintile compared with the least deprived quintile. In T2D, the most deprived quintile had a 28% higher risk (aHR 1.28; 95% CI 1.15–1.43) than the least deprived quintile.
CONCLUSIONS
Increasing socioeconomic deprivation is associated with a higher risk of developing STDR in people with diabetes. This underscores persistent health disparities linked to poverty, even within a country offering free universal health care. Further research is needed to address health equity concerns in socioeconomically deprived regions.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | dc231626 |
| Journal | Diabetes Care |
| Early online date | 22 Feb 2024 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 22 Feb 2024 |
Access to Document
- TanL2024Socioeconomic_AAM
This is an accepted manuscript version of an article first published in Diabetes Care. The final version of record is available at https://doi.org/10.2337/dc23-1626