Prevalence of diabetes in people with intellectual disabilities and age‐ and gender‐matched controls: A meta‐analysis
Davy Vancampfort, Felipe Barreto Schuch, Tine Van Damme, Joseph Firth, Shuichi Suetani, Brendon Stubbs, Debbie Van Biesen
Abstract
Abstract Background This meta‐analysis aims to: (i) describe the pooled prevalence of diabetes in people with intellectual disabilities, (ii) investigate the association with demographic, clinical and treatment‐related factors and (iii) compare the prevalence versus age‐ and gender‐matched general population controls. Methods Pubmed, Embase and CINAHL were searched until 01 May 2021. Random effects meta‐analysis and an odds ratio analysis were conducted to compare rates with controls. Results The trim‐ and fill‐adjusted pooled diabetes prevalence amongst 55,548 individuals with intellectual disabilities ( N studies = 33) was 8.5% (95% CI = 7.2%–10.0%). The trim‐ and fill‐adjusted odds for diabetes was 2.46 times higher (95% CI = 1.89–3.21) ( n = 42,684) versus controls ( n = 4,177,550). Older age ( R 2 = .83, p < .001), smoking (R 2 = .30, p = .009) and co‐morbid depression ( R 2 = .18, p = .04), anxiety ( R 2 = .97, p < .001), and hypertension ( R 2 = 0.29, p < .001) were associated with higher diabetes prevalence rates. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that people with intellectual disabilities are at an increased risk of diabetes, and therefore routine screening and multidisciplinary management of diabetes is needed.