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Ethnic differences in diabetes-related mortality in the Brussels-Capital Region (2001–05): the role of socioeconomic position

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Public Health

Abstract

Objectives

To examine if and to what extent ethnic differences in diabetes-related mortality are associated with differences in education and housing status.

Methods

The data consist of a cohort study linking the 2001 census to emigration and mortality data for the period 2001–05. The study population comprises all Belgian and North African inhabitants of the Brussels-Capital Region (BCR) aged 25–74. Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) (direct standardization) and mortality rate ratios (MRRS) (Poisson regression) are computed.

Results

North Africans have a higher diabetes-related mortality compared to Belgians. The ASMRs for North African and Belgian women are 54.8 (95% confidence interval (CI) 31.5–78.2) and 23.8 (95% CI 20.3–27.3), respectively. These differences in diabetes-related mortality largely disappear when differences in education are taken into account. The MRRs for North African versus Belgian origin drop from 1.62 (95% CI 1.11–2.37) to 1.19 (95% CI 0.73–1.93) in men and from 3.35 (95% CI 2.08–5.41) to 1.88 (95% CI 0.95–3.69) in women.

Conclusions

Differences in education play an important part in the excess diabetes-related mortality among North Africans in the BCR.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (Ph.D. and Postdoctoral fellowship) and by the research council of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Geconcerteerde OnderzoeksActie (GOA no 55)).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interface Demography, Department of Social Research, Faculty of Economic, Political and Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 2 Pleinlaan, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Hadewijch Vandenheede, Lies Lammens, Patrick Deboosere & Sylvie Gadeyne

  2. Brussels-Capital Health and Social Observatory, 183 Louizalaan, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Myriam De Spiegelaere

  3. Research Foundation–Flanders, Brussels, Belgium

    Hadewijch Vandenheede & Sylvie Gadeyne

Authors
  1. Hadewijch Vandenheede
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  2. Lies Lammens
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  3. Patrick Deboosere
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  4. Sylvie Gadeyne
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  5. Myriam De Spiegelaere
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hadewijch Vandenheede.

Additional information

This paper belongs to the special issue “Migrants and ethnic minorities in Europe: new challenges for public health research and practice”.

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Vandenheede, H., Lammens, L., Deboosere, P. et al. Ethnic differences in diabetes-related mortality in the Brussels-Capital Region (2001–05): the role of socioeconomic position. Int J Public Health 56, 533–539 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-011-0235-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-011-0235-y

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