Is socio-economic status associated with risk of childhood type 1 diabetes? Literature review.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Studies of social inequality and risk of developing type 1 diabetes are inconsistent. The present review aimed to comprehensively review relevant literature and describe what has been reported on socio-economic status or parental occupation and risk of type 1 diabetes in children. METHODS: We searched for publications between 1 January 1970 and 30 November 2021. We focused on the most recent and/or informative publication in cases of multiple publications from the same data source and referred to these as primary studies. RESULTS: Our search identified 69 publications with relevant data. We identified eight primary cohort studies with individual-level data, which we considered the highest quality of evidence. Furthermore, we identified 13 primary case-control studies and 14 semi-ecological studies with area-level socio-economic status variables which provided a weaker quality of evidence. Four of eight primary cohort studies contained data on maternal education, showing non-linear associations with type 1 diabetes that were not consistent across studies. There was no consistent pattern on the association of parental occupation and childhood-onset type 1 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for more high-quality studies, but the existing literature does not suggest a major and consistent role of socio-economic status in the risk of type 1 diabetes.