Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
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MAKING DIABETES COUNT – A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO
ESTIMATING POPULATION PREVALENCE ON THE ISLAND OF
IRELAND
Lorraine Fahy
The Institute of Public Health in Ireland
5 th Floor
Bishop’s Square
Redmond’s Hill
Dublin 2
Ireland
This study developed a systematic approach to estimating the
population prevalence of diabetes across the island of Ireland by
adapting a model developed in the UK (the PBS model) for use in an
Irish context. The model accounted for age, sex, ethnicity and
socio-economic factors which are known to affect the prevalence of
diabetes.
Population prevalence estimates were produced for All diabetes,
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes (diagnosed and undiagnosed),
disaggregated by age, sex and ethnicity. Estimates were produced
at national and sub-national level, including an adjustment for local
socio-economic circumstances.
Estimates of the number of people with undiagnosed diabetes in
Northern Ireland were also produced by comparing the population
prevalence estimates from the PBS model to registered numbers of
people with diabetes obtained as part of the new General Medical
Services contract.
The model estimated that in 2005 141,063 adults in the Republic of
Ireland (4.7%) and 67,063 adults in Northern Ireland (5.4%) had
diabetes (diagnosed and undiagnosed). The estimated prevalence of
diabetes in adults varied slightly across the Health Service Executive
Regions with the highest prevalence evident in the Western Region
(5.2%). Variations in prevalence were also seen across Local Health
Office Areas.
This model was developed in conjunction with key organisations
involved in the care of people with diabetes and represents the first
systematic approach to estimating population prevalence for a
chronic condition across the island of Ireland. The project is an
excellent example of cross border working to develop information to
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