Diabetes Rates
Definition
This indicator measures the percentage of people aged 19 or older who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Why This Matters
A significant number of Winnipeggers have diabetes, and in Manitoba diabetes is a major cause of heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and loss of limbs due to amputation. Diabetes prevention can reduce this burden of disease.
According to the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA), “Canadian adults with diabetes are twice as likely to die prematurely, compared to people without diabetes” (CDA, 2013). The cost to the provincial health care budget is significant: “People with diabetes incur medical costs that are two to three times higher than those without diabetes. A person with diabetes can face direct costs for medication and supplies ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 a year” (CDA, 2013).
According to the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP 2013), the increase in diabetes prevalence is likely due to two factors: first, people with diabetes are living longer due to improvements in medical care and in their own self-care. Second, more and more people are becoming aware of diabetes as an issue and are identifying cases of diabetes earlier.
Measurement and Limitations
Diabetes prevalence measures the proportion of the population (aged 19 or older) with diabetes, as defined by hospitalization, physician visits, or prescriptions for diabetes medications.
According to the MCHP: “The values shown here may be different from those provided by reports using the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System (CCDSS) definition (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008, 2009). CCDSS uses physician visits and hospitalizations to define cases over a two-year period. Our definition similarly used physician visits and hospitalizations, but covers a three-year period, and also includes residents receiving prescription drugs for diabetes. There are also differences regarding the standard population used for adjustment and accumulation of cases over time.”
Data Source
Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. (2013). Manitoba RHA Indicators Atlas 2013. Retrieved from http://mchp-appserv.cpe.umanitoba.ca/reference//RHA_2013_web_version.pdf
Data is updated on Peg as it becomes available from the data providers.
References
Canadian Diabetes Association. (2013). The prevalence and costs of diabetes. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.ca/diabetes-and-you/what/prevalence/
Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. (2013). Manitoba RHA indicators atlas 2013. Retrieved from http://mchp-appserv.cpe.umanitoba.ca/reference//RHA_2013_web_version.pdf
Diabetes Rates in the Sustainable Development Goals
Click on the SDG to reveal more information
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development. Significant strides have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some of the common killers associated with child and maternal mortality. Major progress has been made on increasing access to clean water and sanitation, reducing malaria, tuberculosis, polio and the spread of HIV/AIDS. However, many more efforts are needed to fully eradicate a wide range of diseases and address many different persistent and emerging health issues.
Related Diabetes Rates Targets
By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being