Urban-suburban differences in the demographics and clinical profiles of type 2 diabetic patients attending primary healthcare centres in Malta
Introduction: Social factors might bring about health inequities. Vulnerable population groups, including those suffering from non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes and depression, might be more prone to suffering the effects of such inequities. This study aimed to identify patients wit...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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James Cook University
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Rural and Remote Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/5666/ |
| _version_ | 1818529467220361216 |
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| author | Tania Cardona Neville Calleja Glorianne Pullicino |
| author_facet | Tania Cardona Neville Calleja Glorianne Pullicino |
| author_sort | Tania Cardona |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Social factors might bring about health inequities. Vulnerable population groups, including those suffering from non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes and depression, might be more prone to suffering the effects of such inequities. This study aimed to identify patients with type 2 diabetes with depression in a primary care setting, with the objective of describing health inequities among urban and suburban dwellers.
Methods: A quantitative, retrospective and descriptive study was carried out among patients with diabetes attending public primary healthcare centres in different regions of Malta. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire to identify patient and disease characteristics. Convenience sampling was used.
Results: The logistic regression model predicting the likelihood of different factors occurring with suburban patients with diabetes as opposed to those residing in urban areas contained five independent variables (severity of depression, monthly income, blood capillary glucose readings, weight and nationality). The full model containing all predictors was statistically significant, c2 (5, n=400), p<0.001, indicating that the model was able to distinguish between urban and suburban areas. The model as a whole explained between 10% (Cox and Snell R2) and 20% (Nagelkerke R2) of the variance in urban and suburban areas, and correctly classified 73.8% of cases.
All five of the independent variables made a unique, statistically significant contribution to the model. Elevated blood glucose and obesity tended to be more prevalent in suburban respondents than in urban participants. Conversely, participants with diabetes living in urban areas were more likely to be depressed, non-Maltese and have a higher income.
Conclusion: Despite the small size of the Maltese islands and the expected social homogeneity, health inequities still exist, highlighting the importance of social factors in the epidemiology of disease. This study provides information for healthcare professionals and policy-makers to mitigate the effects of social inequities on vulnerable population groups. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T17:07:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c6591e731b14a589a1f6ffa6ab419fe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1445-6354 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T17:07:15Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | James Cook University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Rural and Remote Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c6591e731b14a589a1f6ffa6ab419fe2022-12-22T00:57:39ZengJames Cook UniversityRural and Remote Health1445-63542020-11-012010.22605/RRH5666Urban-suburban differences in the demographics and clinical profiles of type 2 diabetic patients attending primary healthcare centres in MaltaTania Cardona0Neville Calleja1Glorianne Pullicino2Department of Family Medicine, University of Malta, Tal-Qroqq, Msida, MSD 2080, MaltaDirectorate for Information and Research, 95, Telgha ta’ Gwardamangia, Tal-Pieta, PTA 1313, MaltaDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Malta, Tal-Qroqq, Msida, MSD 2080, MaltaIntroduction: Social factors might bring about health inequities. Vulnerable population groups, including those suffering from non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes and depression, might be more prone to suffering the effects of such inequities. This study aimed to identify patients with type 2 diabetes with depression in a primary care setting, with the objective of describing health inequities among urban and suburban dwellers. Methods: A quantitative, retrospective and descriptive study was carried out among patients with diabetes attending public primary healthcare centres in different regions of Malta. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire to identify patient and disease characteristics. Convenience sampling was used. Results: The logistic regression model predicting the likelihood of different factors occurring with suburban patients with diabetes as opposed to those residing in urban areas contained five independent variables (severity of depression, monthly income, blood capillary glucose readings, weight and nationality). The full model containing all predictors was statistically significant, c2 (5, n=400), p<0.001, indicating that the model was able to distinguish between urban and suburban areas. The model as a whole explained between 10% (Cox and Snell R2) and 20% (Nagelkerke R2) of the variance in urban and suburban areas, and correctly classified 73.8% of cases. All five of the independent variables made a unique, statistically significant contribution to the model. Elevated blood glucose and obesity tended to be more prevalent in suburban respondents than in urban participants. Conversely, participants with diabetes living in urban areas were more likely to be depressed, non-Maltese and have a higher income. Conclusion: Despite the small size of the Maltese islands and the expected social homogeneity, health inequities still exist, highlighting the importance of social factors in the epidemiology of disease. This study provides information for healthcare professionals and policy-makers to mitigate the effects of social inequities on vulnerable population groups.https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/5666/depressionhealth inequitiesMaltasocial inequitiessuburbantype 2 diabetes |
| spellingShingle | Tania Cardona Neville Calleja Glorianne Pullicino Urban-suburban differences in the demographics and clinical profiles of type 2 diabetic patients attending primary healthcare centres in Malta Rural and Remote Health depression health inequities Malta social inequities suburban type 2 diabetes |
| title | Urban-suburban differences in the demographics and clinical profiles of type 2 diabetic patients attending primary healthcare centres in Malta |
| title_full | Urban-suburban differences in the demographics and clinical profiles of type 2 diabetic patients attending primary healthcare centres in Malta |
| title_fullStr | Urban-suburban differences in the demographics and clinical profiles of type 2 diabetic patients attending primary healthcare centres in Malta |
| title_full_unstemmed | Urban-suburban differences in the demographics and clinical profiles of type 2 diabetic patients attending primary healthcare centres in Malta |
| title_short | Urban-suburban differences in the demographics and clinical profiles of type 2 diabetic patients attending primary healthcare centres in Malta |
| title_sort | urban suburban differences in the demographics and clinical profiles of type 2 diabetic patients attending primary healthcare centres in malta |
| topic | depression health inequities Malta social inequities suburban type 2 diabetes |
| url | https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/5666/ |
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