Lies Lammens

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

ObjectivesTo examine if and to what extent ethnic differences in diabetes-related mortality are associated with differences in education and housing status.MethodsThe 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.ResultsNorth 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.ConclusionsDifferences in education play an important part in the excess diabetes-related mortality among North Africans in the BCR.