Prevalence and incidence of type 1 diabetes in children aged 0–14 years old in New Zealand in 2021

Abstract

Aim National prevalence and incidence data are important for understanding population trends and allocating health‐care resources. We aimed to provide a current national snapshot of prevalence and annual incidence rates for children aged 0–14 with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in Aotearoa New Zealand and to identify differences associated with demographic variables. Methods Paediatric diabetes centres across Aotearoa were invited to record anonymised demographic and diabetes data on children under their services between 1 October 2020 and 30 September 2021. National prevalence and incidence were calculated using usually resident population counts from the 2018 census. The effect of ethnicity on prevalence and incidence was assessed using Poisson regression. Results There were 1209 children aged 0–14 with T1D in October 2021. The national prevalence was 131/100 000 (95% confidence interval (CI) 124–139). European children had twice the prevalence as those of Māori or Pacific ethnicity (P < 0.001). There was no effect by gender (P = 0.3) and prevalence predictably increased with age. The annualised incidence of T1D was 23/100 000 (95% CI 20–26). European children were 2.6 times as likely as Māori children to be diagnosed with T1D in that year (incidence rate ratio = 2.6, 95% CI 1.7–4.2). Regional differences in prevalence and incidence were noted, potentially due to the ethnicity differences across regions. Unadjusted prevalence and incidence decreased with lower socio‐economic status, likely due to an over‐representation of non‐Europeans living in the most deprived areas. Conclusions T1D affects an ethnically diverse population in Aotearoa and important regional differences exist that may impact workforce planning.

Children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in Aotearoa New Zealand: An online survey of workforce and outcomes 2021

“…The survey was completed by 17 sites (including all 4 tertiary centres), collectively managing a total of 1609 children and >99% of children and adolescents with T1D in Aotearoa New Zealand (Table S1). 18 …”

“…A recent analysis of access to continuous glucose monitoring in the Aotearoa New Zealand paediatric T1D population found ethnicity to be an independent factor associated with HbA1c levels, indicating that ethnicity‐based treatment bias or unique ethnicity and cultural factors lead to disparities in health outcomes. Use of real‐time glucose monitoring has the highest benefit in lowering HbA1c levels and its use has the potential to mitigate ethnicity‐based and socio‐economic deprivation‐based HbA1c disparities should it be funded in Aotearoa New Zealand 18 . To provide comprehensive care for children and adolescents with T1D, it is important to assess the applicability of ISPAD guidelines to Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly regarding culturally appropriate care for Māori and Pacific populations who experience non‐trivial burden of complications associated with diabetes 18,22 .…”

“…Use of real‐time glucose monitoring has the highest benefit in lowering HbA1c levels and its use has the potential to mitigate ethnicity‐based and socio‐economic deprivation‐based HbA1c disparities should it be funded in Aotearoa New Zealand 18 . To provide comprehensive care for children and adolescents with T1D, it is important to assess the applicability of ISPAD guidelines to Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly regarding culturally appropriate care for Māori and Pacific populations who experience non‐trivial burden of complications associated with diabetes 18,22 . Further research is needed to understand how to utilise Māori models of health to ensure culturally safe approach to diabetes management.…”

“…We observed that sites in the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand had patient populations of comparatively less deprivation. As such, by comparison, North Island sites had HCP to patient ratios that did not account for the additional complexity and resource required to care for patient groups with higher needs based on socio‐economic determinants of health 18 . Social determinants significantly impact glycaemic outcomes in this population, with deprivation impacting HbA1c levels and continuous glucose monitoring use 12 .…”

Hearing loss in type 1 diabetes mellitus: a need to understand precise pathological mechanisms and develop novel therapeutic approaches

“…Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by elevated blood glucose levels. It is a significant global public health concern, affecting both developed and developing countries to varying degrees (Lawrence et al, 2021;Mahase, 2022;Abraham et al, 2023;Wu et al, 2023). As of 2017, the global incidence of DM reached 22.9 million, with a steady increase in its prevalence, which now stands at 476.0 million (Lin et al, 2020;Mahase, 2022).…”