TY - GEN
T1 - Quality of diabetes care and risk of diabetes complications in individuals with severe mental illness and diabetes
AU - Scheuer, Stine Hedegaard
PY - 2024/5/24
Y1 - 2024/5/24
N2 - Background
Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have a reduced life-expectancy of 10 – 20 years when
compared to the general population. The increased mortality is largely due to physical diseases, especially
cardiovascular disease (CVD). Type 2 diabetes is a major risk factor for CVD and the risk of type 2 diabetes is
two - three times higher in individuals with SMI when compared to the general population. Clinical
guidelines have been established to guide optimal diabetes care and prevent complications and premature
mortality in individuals with diabetes. However, individuals with SMI may face challenges in accessing
sufficient care, potentially increasing their risk of diabetes complications. The overall aim of this PhD thesis
was to examine quality of diabetes care and risk of acute and long-term diabetes complications in
individuals with SMI and diabetes compared to individuals with diabetes alone. Methods
We conducted four cohort studies using national register data. We included adults diagnosed with diabetes
in Denmark (studies 1, 3, and 4) or in Scotland (study 2) and identified those with a SMI diagnosis, including
schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. Quality of care was measured as process of care
indicators (for instance annual HbA1c assessments) and achievements of treatment targets. We compared
quality of care indicators in individuals with and without SMI using generalized linear mixed effects models
(studies 1 and 2). Long-term diabetes complications included diabetic kidney disease, retinopathy,
amputations, or CVD, and acute complications included hospitalization for hypoglycemia or diabetic
ketoacidosis (DKA). We used Poisson regression to estimate incidence rates and incidence rate ratios of first
long-term diabetes complication and recurrent acute complications in individuals with and without SMI. All
analyses were adjusted for confounders. Results
We found that in Denmark, individuals with SMI and type 2 diabetes were less likely to undergo
assessments of HbA1c, LDL-cholesterol, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and eye and footscreenings compared to those without SMI, with the most pronounced differences for UACR (OR 0.55, 95%
CI 0.53–0.58). Furthermore, individuals with SMI had better achievement of HbA1c treatment targets and
similar or lower achievement of LDL-cholesterol treatment targets. In Scotland, individuals with SMI and
type 2 diabetes were similar or more likely to undergo assessments of HbA1c, LDL-cholesterol, UACR,
serum creatinine, blood pressure, foot screening, body mass index (BMI), and smoking status during the
first year after diabetes diagnosis when compared to individuals without SMI. Opposite these findings individuals with bipolar disorder and major depression were less likely to undergo eye screenings in the
years following diabetes diagnosis (OR 0.81, 95 % CI 0.70–0.94 and OR 0.76, 95 % CI 0.72–0.81,
respectively). Furthermore, individuals with SMI and type 2 diabetes had a 10 – 40 % higher risk of diabetic kidney
disease, amputations, and CVD, but a lower risk of retinopathy compared to individuals without SMI. The
SMI disparities in risk were highest in the younger groups. Additionally, in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes,
risk of first and subsequent hypoglycemia and first DKA hospitalization was higher in individuals with SMI
compared to those without (the risk was 1.7- and 1.8-fold higher for first hypoglycemia and first DKA
hospitalizations, respectively). Individuals with schizophrenia were particularly at risk of recurrent
hypoglycemia hospitalizations. SMI disparities in risk of hypoglycemia and DKA were largest in younger
groups but stable across calendar years.Conclusion
This thesis shows, that in Denmark, the quality of diabetes care is markedly worse in individuals with SMI
compared to individuals without SMI. Conversely, in Scotland, the quality of diabetes care is similar or
better in individuals with SMI, with exception of eye screening which is worse. Moreover, individuals with
diabetes and SMI have a higher risk of developing both long-term and acute diabetes complications and the
risk is highest in the younger groups. Our findings highlight the need to develop effective interventions to reduce the marked inequalities in
diabetes care between individuals with and without SMI in Denmark, and the inequalities in eye screening
in Scotland. Furthermore, effective prevention of long-term and acute diabetes complications is needed,
especially among the younger population and in those with schizophrenia.
AB - Background
Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have a reduced life-expectancy of 10 – 20 years when
compared to the general population. The increased mortality is largely due to physical diseases, especially
cardiovascular disease (CVD). Type 2 diabetes is a major risk factor for CVD and the risk of type 2 diabetes is
two - three times higher in individuals with SMI when compared to the general population. Clinical
guidelines have been established to guide optimal diabetes care and prevent complications and premature
mortality in individuals with diabetes. However, individuals with SMI may face challenges in accessing
sufficient care, potentially increasing their risk of diabetes complications. The overall aim of this PhD thesis
was to examine quality of diabetes care and risk of acute and long-term diabetes complications in
individuals with SMI and diabetes compared to individuals with diabetes alone. Methods
We conducted four cohort studies using national register data. We included adults diagnosed with diabetes
in Denmark (studies 1, 3, and 4) or in Scotland (study 2) and identified those with a SMI diagnosis, including
schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. Quality of care was measured as process of care
indicators (for instance annual HbA1c assessments) and achievements of treatment targets. We compared
quality of care indicators in individuals with and without SMI using generalized linear mixed effects models
(studies 1 and 2). Long-term diabetes complications included diabetic kidney disease, retinopathy,
amputations, or CVD, and acute complications included hospitalization for hypoglycemia or diabetic
ketoacidosis (DKA). We used Poisson regression to estimate incidence rates and incidence rate ratios of first
long-term diabetes complication and recurrent acute complications in individuals with and without SMI. All
analyses were adjusted for confounders. Results
We found that in Denmark, individuals with SMI and type 2 diabetes were less likely to undergo
assessments of HbA1c, LDL-cholesterol, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and eye and footscreenings compared to those without SMI, with the most pronounced differences for UACR (OR 0.55, 95%
CI 0.53–0.58). Furthermore, individuals with SMI had better achievement of HbA1c treatment targets and
similar or lower achievement of LDL-cholesterol treatment targets. In Scotland, individuals with SMI and
type 2 diabetes were similar or more likely to undergo assessments of HbA1c, LDL-cholesterol, UACR,
serum creatinine, blood pressure, foot screening, body mass index (BMI), and smoking status during the
first year after diabetes diagnosis when compared to individuals without SMI. Opposite these findings individuals with bipolar disorder and major depression were less likely to undergo eye screenings in the
years following diabetes diagnosis (OR 0.81, 95 % CI 0.70–0.94 and OR 0.76, 95 % CI 0.72–0.81,
respectively). Furthermore, individuals with SMI and type 2 diabetes had a 10 – 40 % higher risk of diabetic kidney
disease, amputations, and CVD, but a lower risk of retinopathy compared to individuals without SMI. The
SMI disparities in risk were highest in the younger groups. Additionally, in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes,
risk of first and subsequent hypoglycemia and first DKA hospitalization was higher in individuals with SMI
compared to those without (the risk was 1.7- and 1.8-fold higher for first hypoglycemia and first DKA
hospitalizations, respectively). Individuals with schizophrenia were particularly at risk of recurrent
hypoglycemia hospitalizations. SMI disparities in risk of hypoglycemia and DKA were largest in younger
groups but stable across calendar years.Conclusion
This thesis shows, that in Denmark, the quality of diabetes care is markedly worse in individuals with SMI
compared to individuals without SMI. Conversely, in Scotland, the quality of diabetes care is similar or
better in individuals with SMI, with exception of eye screening which is worse. Moreover, individuals with
diabetes and SMI have a higher risk of developing both long-term and acute diabetes complications and the
risk is highest in the younger groups. Our findings highlight the need to develop effective interventions to reduce the marked inequalities in
diabetes care between individuals with and without SMI in Denmark, and the inequalities in eye screening
in Scotland. Furthermore, effective prevention of long-term and acute diabetes complications is needed,
especially among the younger population and in those with schizophrenia.
U2 - 10.21996/e9rz-3f35
DO - 10.21996/e9rz-3f35
M3 - Ph.D. thesis
PB - Syddansk Universitet. Det Sundhedsvidenskabelige Fakultet
ER -