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Long-term trends in childhood diabetes mortality: 1968-1998
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, Illinois 61637, USA. jdiliberti@nc.rr.com
Diabetes Care
|July 27, 2001
Summary
Childhood diabetes mortality declined until 1984 but has plateaued since. Socioeconomic factors like unemployment may impact outcomes, suggesting new prevention and treatment strategies are needed for type 1 diabetes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Recent advancements in type 1 diabetes therapy.
- Need to understand mortality trends and influencing factors in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- Describe longitudinal trends in childhood diabetes mortality.
- Investigate socioeconomic and health services correlates of mortality.
Main Methods:
- Utilized National Center for Health Statistics mortality data (1968-1998).
- Employed Bureau of Health Professions Area Resource File for covariates.
- Applied linear and Poisson regression and descriptive statistics.
Main Results:
- Age-adjusted diabetes mortality in children (0-19 years) decreased from 9.5 (1968) to 3.0 (1984) deaths per 10 million.
- Mortality rates remained constant after 1984, while all-cause childhood mortality continued to decline.
- Higher mortality rates observed in older children and those in high-unemployment counties.
Conclusions:
- Childhood diabetes-related mortality has plateaued for 14 years despite therapeutic improvements.
- Sociodemographic factors may affect healthcare access, contributing to the observed trend.
- New prevention and/or treatment strategies are likely necessary to further reduce childhood diabetes mortality.