Mortality attributable to type 2 diabetes mellitus in Latin America and the Caribbean: A comparative risk assessment analysis

Abstract

Introduction We quantified the proportion and the absolute number of deaths attributable to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) using an estimation approach. Research design and methods We combined T2DM prevalence estimates from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, relative risks between T2DM and all-cause mortality from a meta-analysis of cohorts in LAC, and death rates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. We estimated population-attributable fractions (PAFs) and computed the absolute number of attributable deaths in 1990 and 2019 by multiplying the PAFs by the total deaths in each country, year, sex, and 5-year age group. Results Between 1985 and 2014 in LAC, the proportion of all-cause mortality attributable to T2DM increased from 12.2% to 16.9% in men and from 14.5% to 19.3% in women. In 2019, the absolute number of deaths attributable to T2DM was 349 787 in men and 330 414 in women. The highest death rates (deaths per 100 000 people) in 2019 were in Saint Kitts and Nevis (325 in men, 229 in women), Guyana (313 in men, 272 in women), and Haiti (269 in men, 265 in women). Conclusions A substantial burden of all deaths is attributed to T2DM in LAC. To decrease the mortality attributable to T2DM in LAC, policies are needed to strengthen early diagnosis and management, along with the prevention of complications.