The importance of gender as a social determinant of diabetes in the Caribbean: a systematic review and meta-analysis
In. Caribbean Public Health Agency. Caribbean Public Health Agency: 60th Annual Scientific Meeting. Kingston, The University of the West Indies. Faculty of Medical Sciences, 2015. p.[1-75]. (West Indian Medical Journal Supplement).
Monography
in English
| MedCarib
| ID: med-17971
Responsible library:
TT2.1
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
We undertook a systematic review to determine the social distribution of diabetes (DM) its risk factors and major complications in the Caribbean. This paper describes our findings on the distribution by gender. DESIGN ANDMETHODS:
We searched Medline, Embase and the Virtual Health Library for Caribbean studies published between 2007 and 2013 that described the distribution by gender of known risk factors for Type 2 DM, prevalence of DM, and DM control or complications. Only quantitative studies (n>50) were included; each was assessed for risk of bias. Meta-analyses were performed, where appropriate, on studies with a low or medium risk of bias, using random effects models.RESULTS:
We found 50 articles from 27 studies, yielding 118 relationships between gender and the outcomes. Women were more likely to have DM, obesity, be less physically active but less likely to smoke. In meta-analyses of good quality population based studies odds ratios for women vs. men for DM, obesity and smoking were 1.65 (95% CI 1.43, 1.91), 3.10 (2.43, 3.94), and 0.24 (0.17, 0.34). Three studies found men more likely to have better glycaemic control but only one achieved statistical significance.CONCLUSION:
Female gender is a determinant of DM prevalence in the Caribbean. In the vast majority of world regions women are at a similar or lower risk of type 2 diabetes than men, even when obesity is higher in women. Caribbean female excess of diabetes may be due to a much greater excess of risk factors in women, especially obesity and physical inactivity.
Search on Google
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MedCarib
Main subject:
Sex Factors
/
Risk Factors
/
Review
/
Meta-Analysis
/
Caribbean Region
/
Diabetes Mellitus
/
Gender and Health
Type of study:
Etiology study
/
Prognostic study
/
Risk factors
/
Systematic review
Aspects:
Social determinants of health
Language:
English
Journal:
West Indian Medical Journal Supplement
Year:
2015
Document type:
Monography