Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114093

Reza Alaghehbandan, MD¹, Kayla D. Gates, MSc, PhD (c)¹, Don MacDonald, MSc, PhD (c)¹, and Leigh A. Newhook, MD, FRCPC². (1) Research and Development Division, Newfoundland & Labrador Centre for Health Information, 1 Crosbie Place, St. John's, NF A1B 3Y8, Canada, (2) Department of Pediatrics, Memorial University of Newfoundland, The Janeway Child Health and Rehabilitation Centre, 300 Prince Philip Drive, St. John's, NF A1B 3V6, Canada, (709) 777-4972, lnewhook@mun.ca

The aim of this study was to investigate epidemiological patterns of childhood type 1 diabetes in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. This study includes type 1 diabetes mellitus subjects among children aged 0-19 years in Newfoundland and Labrador during seven years (April 1995 to March 2002). Data was obtained from the provincial hospital database. A total of 894 type 1 diabetes-related hospitalizations were identified, representing a hospitalization rate of 88.6 per 100,000 person-years (P-Y). The overall hospitalization rate increased from 84.5 per 100,000 in 1995 to 103.8 per 100,000 in 2002 (P = 0.065). Hospitalization rates for females and males were 100.2 and 77.3 per 100,000 P-Y, respectively (P = 0.00011). Of the 894 hospitalizations, 216 hospitalizations were for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) (21.4 per 100,000). Also, a 71% increase in DKA hospitalizations among children aged 15-19 years was found over the study period (P = 0.006). Diabetic ketoacidosis hospitalizations among females was significantly higher than males (P = 0.000005). Female gender and older age were found to be predictive risk factors of DKA. The incidence rate of type 1 diabetes among children aged 0-7 years was 23.8 per 100,000 P-Y; incidence rates for males and females were 27.7 and 19.6 per 100,000 P-Y, respectively (P = 0.15). In conclusion, Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest incidence rates of type 1 diabetes mellitus in North America. Hospitalization rates for DKA and non-DKA have not decreased since 1995/96. Age and sex patterns suggest that DKA is a particular challenge among adolescent girls.

Learning Objectives:

• Calculate the incidence rate of type 1 diabetes among children aged 0-7 years in Newfoundland and Labrador by age, gender, and place of residence.
• Calculate hospitalization rates of type 1 diabetes among children aged 0-19 years in Newfoundland and Labrador by age, gender, DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) vs. non-DKA.
• Assess the trends of hospitalizations of type 1 diabetes over the study period for total diabetes, DKA, and non-DKA.
• Evaluate the risk factors related to DKA hospitalizations.

Keywords: Diabetes, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation