Diabetes und Stoffwechsel
Volume 10, Issue 2, 2001, Pages 51-57

Prevalence of diabetes in Turkish population in Germany [Zur Diabeteshäufigkeit unter Türkischen Migranten in Deutschland] (Article)

Laube H.* , Bayraktar H. , Gökce Y. , Akinci A. , Erkal Z. , Bödeker R.H. , Bilgin Y.
  • a Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Rodthohl 6, 35385 Gießen, Germany
  • b [Affiliation not available]
  • c Med. Klinik III und Poliklinik, Institut für Med. Informatik AG, Statistik, Germany
  • d Med. Klinik III und Poliklinik, Institut für Med. Informatik AG, Statistik, Germany
  • e Med. Klinik III und Poliklinik, Institut für Med. Informatik AG, Statistik, Germany
  • f Univ. Gießen sowie Türkisch-Deutsche Gesundheitsstiftung e. V., Germany
  • g [Affiliation not available]

Abstract

We examined 1067 Turkish immigrants in Germany, 716 male and 351 female, aged 15 - 70 years (male 45.0 - female 43.5 years) for diabetes prevalence and associated metabolic disorders. The study was performed by Turkish speaking physicians and assistants in defined periods of time on all visitors to mosques, turkish clubs and the Turkish consulate in Frankfurt/M. There was an overall prevalence of known diabetes of 9.7%. In addition 4.6% were newly diagnosed with glucosuria. 20% of these patients with suspected diabetes agreed to be reexamined. In 80% the diagnosis was confirmed, raising the rate of unknown diabetes to 3.7% and the total rate to 13.5%. Corrected according to the age-sex distribution of the 156.360 turkish migrants aged over 15 years in the state of Hessen, the total prevalence was 8.4%. Corrected according to the corresponding age group in Turkey, the prevalence was 9.1% and according to the German population, with 38.8% older than 50 years, 14.9%. Loss of traditional life and rapid life style changes of the Turkish immigrants in Germany, low standard of education and little knowledge of the German language are probably responsible for the high prevalence of diabetes and a rather poor metabolic control, where 70% of the preknown diabetics had a HB-A1c above 7.0%; 46% exhibited a LDL - cholesterol greater than 130 mg/dl and 45% had a blood pressure over 140/90 mm Hg.

Author Keywords

Diabetes prevalence Life style changes Poor metabolic control Turkish immigrants

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77949663409&partnerID=40&md5=739fea1b52e18c2390874e1dbb8520e6
ISSN: 09420037
Cited by: 11
Original Language: German