Type 2 diabetes among people with selected citizenships in Germany: risk, healthcare, complications

TL;DR

The study examines how migration-related factors affect type 2 diabetes risk, healthcare, and complications among people in Germany with selected citizenships.

Contribution

The study identifies migration-related factors like language proficiency and discrimination as significant influences on diabetes risk and mental health outcomes.

Findings

Better German language proficiency is linked to a lower diabetes risk.

Experiences of discrimination are associated with more diabetes complications and depressive symptoms.

A stronger sense of belonging reduces depressive symptoms in non-diabetic individuals but not in those with diabetes.

Abstract

Migration-related factors, such as language barriers, can be relevant to the risk, healthcare and complications of type 2 diabetes in people with a history of migration. Diabetes-related data from people with selected citizenships were analysed on the basis of the nationwide survey German Health Update: Fokus (GEDA Fokus).

The diabetes risk of persons without diabetes (n = 4,698, 18 – 79 years), key figures on healthcare and secondary diseases of persons with type 2 diabetes (n = 326, 45 – 79 years) and on concomitant diseases (n = 326 with type 2 diabetes compared to n = 2,018 without diabetes, 45 – 79 years) were stratified according to sociodemographic and migration-related characteristics.

Better German language proficiency is associated with a lower risk of diabetes. Diabetes-related organ complications are observed more frequently in persons who report experiences of discrimination in the health or care sector. Both persons with and without diabetes are more likely to have depressive symptoms when they reported experiences of discrimination. A stronger sense of belonging to the society in Germany is associated with reporting depressive symptoms less often in people without diabetes, but not in people with type 2 diabetes.

The differences according to migration-related characteristics indicate a need for improvement in the prevention and care of type 2 diabetes. Migration-sensitive indicators should be integrated into the surveillance of diabetes.

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