Association between socioeconomic position and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Ghanaians in different geographic locations: The RODAM study

Juliet Addo, Charles Agyemang, Ama de-Graft Aikins, Erik Beune, Matthias B. Schulze, Ina Danquah, Cecilia Galbete, Mary Nicolaou, Karlijn Meeks, Kerstin Klipstein-Grobusch, Silver Bahendaka, Frank P. Mockenhaupt, Ellis Owusu-Dabo, Anton Kunst, Karien Stronks, Liam Smeeth

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

38 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background The prevalence of diabetes has been shown to be socially patterned but the direction of the association in low-income countries and among migrant populations in Europe has varied in the literature. This study examined the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and diabetes in Ghanaians in Europe and in Ghana. Methods Data were derived from the multicentre Research on Obesity and Diabetes among African Migrants (RODAM) study of Ghanaian adults aged 25-70 years residing in Europe (Amsterdam, Berlin and London) and in urban and rural Ghana. Educational attainment (elementary, secondary or higher) and occupational class (low or high) were used as indicators of SEP. Age-standardised prevalence of diabetes and prevalence ratios were evaluated separately for men and women of different SEP in Ghana and Europe. Results A total of 5290 participants were included in the analyses. The prevalence of diabetes decreased with increasing level of education in Ghanaian men and women in Europe and in men in urban Ghana, whereas diabetes prevalence increased with increasing level of education in men and women in rural Ghana. The association between occupational class and the prevalence of diabetes followed a less consistent pattern in men and women in the different locations. Conclusions The association of diabetes and SEP differed in rural Ghana compared with urban settings in Ghana and Europe and comparing men and women, highlighting the complex interaction of SEP and the development of diabetes. These findings have important implications for diabetes prevention strategies in Ghanaians in different locations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)633-639
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health
Volume71
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2017

Cite this