Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Focus on migrants with type 2 diabetes mellitus in European Countries

  • IM - REVIEW
  • Published:
Internal and Emergency Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, one of the major causes of morbility and mortality in Europe, is increasing in all European countries. Diabetes is not distributed equally among all population groups, as higher incidence, appearance of complications, and different mortality rates have been observed among migrants and the native population. These differences may be due to genetic profiles, lifestyle, and utilization of the health care system in different ways. Taking into account that the quantity of migrants is nowadays increasing, mainly in the southern part of Europe, the knowledge of diabetes in migrants through a better collection of data is necessary, considering that few limited epidemiological studies have evaluated the importance of this problem in EU countries. A special effort in developing a comprehensive management for native and immigrant populations in order to prevent and cure diabetes should be mandatory. This activity could be helpful to limit the incidence of future diabetes complications and to avoid the consequent burden of the health care system along with a control on its costs. It is clear that diabetes complication prevention is essential for long-term sustainability of the health care system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2010 (2011) World Health Organization, Geneva. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789240686458_eng.pdf. Accessed 18 June 2015

  2. Action Plan for implementation of the European Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2012–2016 (2012) WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen. (http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/170155/e96638.pdf. Accessed 18 June 2015)

  3. Nicolucci A, Rossi C, Lucisano G (2014) Facts and figures about diabetes in Italy. Italian Diabetes Monitor: Fondazione Mario Negri Sud

  4. IDF Diabetes Atlas (2013) 6th edn. International Diabetes Federation, Brussels

  5. Robbins JM, Vaccarino V, Zhang H et al (2001) Socioeconomic status and type 2 diabetes in African American and non-Hispanic white women and men: evidence from the third national health and nutrition examination survey. Am J Public Health 91(1):76–83

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Brown AF, Ettner SL, Piette J et al (2004) Socioeconomic position and health among persons with diabetes mellitus: a conceptual framework and review of the literature. Epidemiol Rev 26:63–77

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Vasileva K (2010) Foreigners living in the EU are diverse and largely younger than the nationals of the EU member states. Statistics in focus. In: Eurosat (ed) European Commission, Luxembourg

  8. Vasileva K (2011) Population and social conditions. 6.5% of the EU population are foreigners and 9.4% are born abroad. Statistics in focus. In: Eurosat (ed) European Commission, Luxembourg

  9. Rechel B, Mladovsky P, Ingleby D et al (2013) Migration and health in an increasingly diverse Europe. Lancet 381:1235–1245

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Gensini GF, Yacoub MH, Conti AA (2004) The concept of quarantine in history: from plague to SARS. J Infect 49:257–261

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Lozano R, Naghavi M, Foreman K et al (2012) Global and regional mortality from 235 causes of death for 20 age groups in 1990 and 2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet 380:2095–2128

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Gushulak BD, MacPherson DW (2006) The basic principles of migration health: population mobility and gaps in disease prevalence. Emerg Themes Epidemiol 3:3

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Fine P, Victora CG, Rothman KJ et al (2013) John Snow’s legacy: epidemiology without borders. Lancet 381:1302–1311

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Anderson GM, Bronskill SE, Mustard CA et al (2005) Both clinical epidemiology and population health perspectives can define the role of healthcare in reducing health disparities. J Clin Epidemiol 58:757–762

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Carballo M (2015) Non-communicable diseases, chapter 5. In: Fernandes A, Miguel JP (eds) Health and migration in the european union: better health for all in an inclusive society. http://www.portaldasaude.pt/NR/rdonlyres/89916BBA-2C9C-48D2-979C-DEA62DA6ABC3/18919/HealthMigrationEU2.pdf. Accessed 22 June 2015

  16. Carballo M, Divino JJ, Zeric D (1998) Migration and health in the European Union. Trop Med Int Health 3:936–944

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Bhopal R, Unwin N, White M et al (1999) Heterogeneity of coronary heart disease risk factors in Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and European origin populations: cross sectional study. Brit Med J 319:215–220

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Cappuccio FP, Cook DG, Atkinson RW et al (1997) Prevalence, detection, and management of cardiovascular risk factors in different ethnic groups in south London. Heart 78:555–563

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Wandell PE, Wajngot A, de Faire U et al (2007) Increased prevalence of diabetes among immigrants from non-European countries in 60-year-old men and women in Sweden. Diabetes Metab 33:30–36

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Weijers RNM, Bekedam DJ, Oosting H (1998) The prevalence of type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes mellitus in an inner city multi-ethnic population. Eur J Epidemiol 14:693–699

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Zaninotto P, Mindell J, Hirani V (2007) Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among ethnic groups: results from the health surveys for England. Atherosclerosis 195:e48–e57

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Oldroyd J, Banerjee M, Heald A et al (2005) Diabetes and ethnic minorities. Postgrad Med J 81:486–490

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Gill PS, Kai J, Bhopal RS et al (2006) Health care needs assessment: black and minority ethnic groups. In: Raftery J (ed) Health care needs assessment. The epidemiologically based needs assessment reviews, Third series. Radcliffe Medical Press Ltd, Abingdon, p 227–39

  24. Senior PA, Bhopal R (1994) Ethnicity as a variable in epidemiological research. Brit Med J 309:327–330

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Rafnsson SB, Bhopal RS (2009) Large-scale epidemiological data on cardiovascular diseases and diabetes in migrant and ethnic minority groups in Europe. Eur J Public Health 19(5):484–491

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Mather HM, Chaturvedi N, Fuller JH (1998) Mortality and morbidity from diabetes in South Asians and Europeans: 11-year follow-up of the Southall Diabetes Survey, London, UK. Diabet Med 15:53–59

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Ujcic-Voortman JK, Schram MT, Jacobs-van der Bruggen MA et al (2009) Diabetes prevalence and risk factors among ethnic minorities. Eur J Public Health 19:511–515

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Carlsson AC, Wandell PE, Hedlund E et al (2013) Country of birth-specific and gender differences in prevalence of diabetes in Sweden. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 100:404–408

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Misra A, Ganda OP (2007) Migration and its impact on adiposity and type 2 diabetes. Nutrition 23:696–708

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Vandenheede H, Deboosere P, Stirbu I et al (2012) Migrant mortality from diabetes mellitus across Europe: the importance of socio-economic change. Eur J Epidemiol 27:109–117

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Patrick D, Sylvie G (2005) Adult migrant mortality advantage in Belgium: evidence using census and register data. Population 60:765–811

    Google Scholar 

  32. Cruickshank JK, Mbanya JC, Wilks R et al (2001) Sick genes, sick individuals or sick populations with chronic disease? The emergence of diabetes and high blood pressure in African-origin populations. Int J Epidemiol 30:111–117

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Choukem SP, Fabreguettes C, Akwo E et al (2014) Influence of migration on characteristics of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africans. Diabetes Metab 40(1):56–60

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Pollard TM, Unwin N, Fischbacher C et al (2008) Differences in body composition and cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes risk factors between migrant and British-born British Pakistani women. Am J Hum Biol 20(5):545–549

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Holmboe-Ottesen G, Wandel M (2012) Changes in dietary habits after migration and consequences for health: a focus on South Asians in Europe. Food Nutr Res 56:2–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Lin SS, Kelsey JL (2000) Use of race and ethnicity in epidemiologic research: concepts, methodological issues, and suggestions for research. Epidemiol Rev 22:187–202

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Marvella FE, Kelly AP (2005) Conceptualizing and categorizing race and ethnicity in health services research. Health Serv Res 40:1658–1675

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Bhopal R (2007) Ethnicity, race, and health in multicultural societies: foundations for better epidemiology, public health, and health care. Oxford Univeristy Press, Oxford

    Book  Google Scholar 

  39. Ricci-Cabello I, Ruiz-Pérez I, Olry de Labry-Lima A et al (2010) Do social inequalities exist in terms of the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, control and monitoring of diabetes? A systematic review. Health Soc Care Community 18(6):572–587

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Vandenheede H, Deboosere P, Espelt A et al (2015) Educational inequalities in diabetes mortality across Europe in the 2000s: the interaction with gender. Int J Public Health 60(4):401–410

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  41. Chaturvedi N (2001) Ethnicity as an epidemiological determinant—crudely racist or crucially important? Int J Epidemiol 30:925–927

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Peeters B, Mehuys E, Van Tongelen I et al (2012) Ramadan fasting and diabetes: an observational study among Turkish migrants in Belgium. Prim Care Diabetes 6:293–296

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Salti I, Bénard E, Detournay B et al (2004) A population-based study of diabetes and its characteristics during the fasting month of Ramadan in 13 countries. Diabetes Care 27(10):2306–2311

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Gaborit B, Dutour O, Ronsin O et al (2011) Ramadan fasting with diabetes: an interview study of inpatients and general practitioners attitudes in the South of France. Diabetes Metab 37(5):395–402

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Lanting LC, Joung IMA, Mackenbach JP et al (2005) Ethnic differences in mortality, end-stage complications, and quality of care among diabetic patients: a review. Diabetes Care 28:2280–2288

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Lien E, Nafstad P, Rosvold EO (2008) Nonwestern immigrants’ satisfaction with the general practitioners’ services in Oslo, Norway. Int J Equity Health 7:7

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  47. Morgan M, Figueroa-Munoz JI (2005) Barriers to uptake and adherence with malaria prophylaxis by the African community in London, England: focus group study. Ethn Health 10:355–372

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Buja A, Gini R, Visca M et al (2013) Prevalence of chronic diseases by immigrant status and disparities in chronic disease management in immigrants: a population-based cohort study, Valore Project. BMC Public Health 13:504

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  49. Mladovsky P (2007) Migration and health in the EU. The London School of Economics and Political Science, London

    Google Scholar 

  50. American Diabetes Association (2013) Economic costs of diabetes in the U.S. in 2012. Diabetes Care 36:1033e46

    Google Scholar 

  51. Marchesini G, Bernardi D, Miccoli R et al (2014) Under-treatment of migrants with diabetes in a universalistic health care system: the ARNO Observatory. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 24(4):393–399

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Essink-Bot ML, Lamkaddem M, Jellema P et al (2013) Interpreting ethnic inequalities in healthcare consumption: a conceptual framework for research. Eur J Public Health 23(6):922–926

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Giorda CB (2013) The role of the care model in modifying prognosis in diabetes. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 23(1):11–16

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Modesti PA, Bianchi S, Borghi C et al (2014) Cardiovascular health in migrants: current status and issues for prevention. A collaborative multidisciplinary task force report. J Cardiovasc Med Hagerstown 15(9):683–692

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Mackenbach JP, Bakker MJ (2003) European network on interventions and policies to reduce inequalities in health. Tackling socioeconomic inequalities in health: analysis of European experiences. Lancet 25 362(9393):1409–1414

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Marmot M, Friel S, Bell R et al (2008) Commission on social determinants of health. Closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on the social determinants of health. Lancet 8 372(9650):1661–1669

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Eakin EG, Bull SS, Glasgow RE et al (2002) Reaching those most in need: a review of diabetes self-management interventions in disadvantaged populations. Diabetes Metab Res Rev 18(1):26–35

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Kofahl C, Doğan M, Doğan G et al (2014) Quality of life of Turkish type 2 diabetics in Germany and Turkey—a comparison between Hamburg and Istanbul. Ethn Health 19(6):617–630

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Modesti PA, Agostoni P, Agyemang C et al (2014) Cardiovascular risk assessment in low-resource settings: a consensus document of the European Society of Hypertension Working Group on hypertension and cardiovascular risk in low resource settings. J Hypertens 32(5):951–960

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Experimental Models in Clinical Pathology, INRCA-IRCCS National Institute, Ancona, Italy

    Roberto Testa

  2. Scientific Direction, INRCA-IRCCS National Institute, Ancona, Italy

    Anna Rita Bonfigli

  3. Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, IRCCS Gruppo Multimedica, Sesto San Giovanni, Italy

    Stefano Genovese

  4. Insititut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), C/Rosselló, 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain

    Antonio Ceriello

  5. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain

    Antonio Ceriello

Authors
  1. Roberto Testa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anna Rita Bonfigli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Stefano Genovese
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Antonio Ceriello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Antonio Ceriello.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Statement of human and animal rights

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Informed consent

For this type of study formal consent is not required.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Testa, R., Bonfigli, A.R., Genovese, S. et al. Focus on migrants with type 2 diabetes mellitus in European Countries. Intern Emerg Med 11, 319–326 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11739-015-1350-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11739-015-1350-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation