Urban and rural prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes and risk factors associated with diabetes in Tanzania and Uganda

• Main Authors: Faraja S. Chiwanga, Marina A. Njelekela, Megan B. Diamond, Francis Bajunirwe, David Guwatudde, Joan Nankya-Mutyoba, Robert Kalyesubula, Clement Adebamowo, IkeOluwapo Ajayi, Todd G. Reid, Jimmy Volmink, Carien Laurence, Hans-Olov Adami, Michelle D. Holmes, Shona Dalal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2016-05-01
• Series: Global Health Action
• Subjects: non-communicable; risk factors; underdiagnoses; sub-Saharan Africa; Tanzania; Uganda
• Online Access: http://www.globalhealthaction.net/index.php/gha/article/view/31440/pdf_202

Background: The increase in prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa underlines the importance of understanding its magnitude and causes in different population groups. We analyzed data from the Africa/Harvard Partnership for Cohort Research and Training (PaCT) studies to determine the prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes and risk factors associated with diabetes. Methodology: Participants were randomly selected from peri-urban (n=297) and rural (n=200) communities in Uganda, and teachers were recruited from schools (n=229) in urban Tanzania. We used a standardized questionnaire to collect socio-demographic and self-reported disease status including diabetes status. Blood glucose was also measured after participants fasted for 8 h. We used standard protocols for anthropometric and blood pressure measurement. Results: The overall prevalence of diabetes was 10.1% and was highest in rural Ugandan residents (16.1%) compared to teachers in Tanzania (8.3%) and peri-urban Ugandan residents (7.6%). The prevalence of pre-diabetes was 13.8%. The prevalence of self-reported diabetes was low across all sites, where 68% of participants with diabetes were not captured by self-report. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, family history (OR 2.5, 95% CI: 1.1, 5.6) and hypertension (OR 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 5.2) were significantly associated with diabetes. Conclusions: The prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes in Uganda and Tanzania is high, differs markedly between population groups, and remains undiagnosed in an alarmingly high proportion of individuals. These findings highlight the need for large-scale, prospective studies to accurately quantify the burden and identify effective intervention and treatment strategies across diverse African populations.