Social vulnerability associated with the self-reported diagnosis of type II diabetes: a multilevel analysis

To analyze the contextual factors associated with type II diabetes mellitus in Belo Horizonte City.

Cross-sectional study with 5,779 adults living in Belo Horizonte City, participating in the Risk and Protection Factors Surveillance System for Chronic Diseases through Telephone Survey (Vigitel), in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Multilevel regression models were used to test the association between contextual indicators of physical and social environments, and self-reported diagnosis of diabetes, adjusted for individual sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Descriptive analyzes and multilevel logistic regression models were used, considering a 5% significance level.

The prevalence of diabetes was 6.2% (95%CI 5.54 - 6.92), and 3.1% of the variability of chance of presenting diabetes were explained by contextual characteristics. Living in areas with high density of private places for physical activity and high income was associated with a lower chance of having diabetes. The areas with high level of social vulnerability were strongly associated with the chance of presenting diabetes, adjusted for individual characteristics.

Characteristics of physical and social environments were associated with the chance of diabetes occurrence. Urban centers with opportunities to adopt healthy behaviors can help to reduce the occurrence of diabetes and its complications.