Researchers from Hannover Medical School Discuss Research in Type 2 Diabetes (Type 2 diabetes in the employed population: do rates and trends differ among nine occupational sectors? An analysis using German health insurance claims data): Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases and Conditions – Type 2 Diabetes

Health Policy and Law Daily

2024 MAY 21 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health Policy and Law Daily -- Investigators publish new report on type 2 diabetes. According to news reporting from the Hannover Medical School by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Socioeconomic inequalities in type 2 diabetes (T2D) are well established in the literature. However, within the background of changing work contexts associated with digitalization and its effect on lifestyle and sedentary behavior, little is known on T2D prevalence and trends among different occupational groups.”

Financial supporters for this research include Niedersachsisches Ministerium Fur Wissenschaft Und Kultur; Medizinische Hochschule Hannover.

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Hannover Medical School: “This study aims to examine occupational sector differences in T2D prevalence and trends thereof between 2012 and 2019. The study was done on 1.683.644 employed individuals using data from the German statutory health insurance provider in Lower Saxony, the ‘Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse Niedersachsen’ (AOKN). Predicted probabilities for T2D prevalence in four two-year periods between 2012 and 2019 were estimated based on logistic regression analyses for nine occupational sectors. Prevalence ratios were calculated to illustrate the effect of time period on the prevalence of T2D among the nine occupational sectors. Analyses were stratified by gender and two age groups. Results showed differences among occupational sectors in the predicted probabilities for T2D. The occupational sectors ‘Transport, logistics, protection and security’ and ‘Health sector, social work, teaching & education’ had the highest predicted probabilities, while those working in the sector ‘Agriculture’ had by far the lowest predicted probabilities for T2D. Over all, there appeared to be a rising trend in T2D prevalence among younger employed individuals, with gender differences among occupational sectors.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “The study displayed different vulnerability levels among occupational sectors with respect to T2D prevalence overall and for its rising trend among the younger age group. Specific occupations within the vulnerable sectors need to be focused upon in further research to define specific target groups to which T2D prevention interventions should be tailored.”

For more information on this research see: Type 2 diabetes in the employed population: do rates and trends differ among nine occupational sectors? An analysis using German health insurance claims data. BMC Public Health, 2024,24(1):1-16. (BMC Public Health - http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com). The publisher for BMC Public Health is BMC.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18705-5.

Our news journalists report that more information may be obtained by contacting Batoul Safieddine, Medical Sociology Unit, Hannover Medical School. Additional authors for this research include Julia Grasshoff, Siegfried Geyer, Stefanie Sperlich, Jelena Epping, Johannes Beller.