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In a 1997 to 2002 investigation, researchers from Columbia University and University of Michigan found a strong inverse relationship between educational attainment and diabetes prevalence. This relationship was present among study participants who were non-Hispanic White and Hispanic, but not among those who were non-Hispanic Black. It was also stronger among females than males.
The study population consisted of 187,233 participants and was based on self-reported diabetes among adults 18 years of age and older. Researchers used data collected through the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).
“Those with less than a high school education were approximately 60% more likely to have diabetes than participants with at least a bachelor’s degree.”
The research team found that individuals with less than a high school diploma had the highest overall incidence of diabetes (10.2%), followed by those with a high school diploma or GED (6.2%), some college (4.5%), and at least a bachelor’s degree (3.4%).
The researchers also examined the effect of education on diabetes after controlling for variables such as survey year, age, gender, race/ethnicity, foreign birth, marital status, income, health insurance and body mass index. They found that study participants with less than a high school education were approximately 60% more likely to have diabetes than study participants with at least a bachelor’s degree, while those with a high school diploma, GED or some college were approximately 30% more likely (all differences were statistically significant).
After adjusting for confounding variables, both non-Hispanic White and Hispanic participants with less than a high school education had statistically significantly higher odds of developing diabetes compared to their peers with at least a bachelor’s degree (70% more likely and 60% more likely, respectively). Among non-Hispanic Black participants, however, the connection between diabetes and educational attainment was not statistically significant.
Additionally, the results revealed that compared to those with at least a bachelor’s degree, both women and men with less than a high school education had a greater incidence of diabetes. However, the impact of education was greater among women than men (90% vs. 40% more likely to have diabetes, both statistically significant).
According to the authors, not checking the prevalence of diabetes by subgroup in each race/ethnicity presented a limitation in this study. For instance, among Hispanic adults, Mexican Americans had the highest incidence of diabetes, so the authors believe that “it is possible that the estimates presented here are a better reflection of the prevalence of diabetes among Mexican Americans than among Hispanics as a whole.”
Source: Borrell, Luisa N., et al., Education and Diabetes in a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Population, American Journal of Public Health. Vol. 96 (2), Pgs. 1637-1642.
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