Ethnic differences in participation in diabetes education programmes

Abstract Background Immigrants from non-Western countries have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes. In addition, immigrants have an increased risk of developing diabetes complications, compared with the general population. Diabetes education programmes facilitate essential knowledge and skills that enable people to manage their condition in daily life. However, fewer immigrants attend and complete diabetes education compared with the general population. The aim of this study is to explore what characterises those who decline and accept participation in diabetes education in relation to ethnicity, household composition and diabetes burden in the family. Methods The study population consisted of adults with type 2 diabetes referred to a municipal diabetes centre (n = 1819). Individual medical record data was linked to national registry data. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were applied. Results Preliminary results showed that 23% of individuals from the study population participated in diabetes education. We found no overall differences in participation rates between the general population and non-Western immigrants (24% vs. 18%, P = 0.12). However, when examining the immigrant groups by language (Arabic, Urdu and Turkish), the results indicated a non-significant tendency: Urdu speaking groups’ participation was similar to the general population (24%), whereas Arabic and Turkish speaking groups had lower participation rates (17% and 11%, P = 0.25/0.40). Conclusions The results suggest that there are differences in participation between some immigrant groups and the general population. Increased knowledge about which mechanisms affecting participation in diabetes education programme is required to ensure equal access. Further studies and analyses will explore how immigrants’ social relations enable and/or hamper participation in diabetes education and investigate which factors can be changed to improve participation rates. Key messages There are differences in participation in diabetes education programmes across different ethnic groups, which suggests a need for in-depth analysis into which mechanisms that affect participation. The results will be used to give input for future practices that can increase immigrant’s participation and retention in diabetes education programmes.