Inequalities in Diabetes Mortality Between Microregions in Hungary
Zsófia Kollányi1, Lajos Bálint2,3, Kitti Susovits4
1Faculty of Social Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
International Journal of Public Health
|November 29, 2023
Summary
Diabetes mortality rates vary significantly across Hungarian microregions. Lack of grocery stores and high alcohol-related mortality are key drivers of these disparities, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Significant regional disparities in diabetes mortality exist in Hungary.
- Understanding the socioeconomic and healthcare-related drivers of these inequalities is crucial for effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the key factors contributing to inequalities in diabetes mortality across Hungary's 197 microregions.
- To analyze these drivers over two distinct periods (2009-2012 and 2013-2016) to account for changes in social and healthcare conditions.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study design utilizing data from 197 Hungarian microregions.
- Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models were employed.
- Inclusion of traditional and re-conceptualized measures of socioeconomic deprivation and healthcare provision.
Main Results:
- Microregions with a higher proportion of residents living in "service deserts," particularly lacking grocery stores, exhibited the highest diabetes mortality rates.
- Alcohol-related mortality emerged as a strong and significant predictor of diabetes mortality, comparable in impact to food access issues.
- Both periods analyzed showed similar patterns, indicating persistent drivers of inequality.
Conclusions:
- Interventions should focus on improving food provision in areas with low service density to mitigate diabetes mortality.
- Strengthening and targeting alcohol policies is essential to address a significant contributor to diabetes mortality.
- Addressing "service deserts" and alcohol-related harm are critical for reducing health inequalities in diabetes care.
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