Making Diabetes Count – A systematic approach to estimating population prevalence on the island of Ireland in 2005
| Description | The project uses a model to estimate the population prevalence of diabetes across the island of Ireland. |
|---|---|
| Setting | The island of Ireland |
| Populationting | People with diabetes throughout the island of Ireland |
| Intervention summary | Action will be taken based on the evidence found. |
| Outcome Summary | It is estimated that 5.4% of Northern Ireland’s and 4.7% of the Republic of Ireland’s adult population have diabetes. |
| Startup Cost | Staff time |
| Running Cost | Staff time and printing costs of the final report |
| Funding | The project is funded by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland. |
| Started | July 2005 |
| Ended | Finished and report launched in July 2006 |
| Location | Ireland; Northern Ireland |
| Contact |
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Background
The project adapts a model developed within the UK (the PBS model) to estimate the population prevalence of diabetes across the island of Ireland. The model uses epidemiological studies applied to local populations and takes into account gender, age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic variation.
The model estimates both diagnosed and undiagnosed cases and results can be displayed in total or by type 1 and type 2 diabetes, age and ethnic bands or by a number of sub regional geographical levels.
What is the problem you are trying to solve?
To develop a model to estimate the population prevalence of diabetes on the island of Ireland
What local organisations are involved?
The project was taken forward by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland, supported by a multiprofessional working group including the Departments of Health, healthcare professionals and the diabetes charities. The work was based upon the PBS model which was developed by York and Humber Public Health Observatory, the University of Sheffield School of Health and Related Research and Brent NHS Primary Care Trust.
How many people are running this project and who are they?
Dr Kevin Balanda, director, Ireland and Northern Ireland’s Population Health Observatory; Dr Angela Jordan, specialist registrar in public health; Ms Adele Graham, senior information analyst; Ms Lorraine Fahy, information analyst.
What local population are you targeting?
People with diabetes throughout the island of Ireland
How many people are you targeting?
Whole population of the island of Ireland – approximately six million
Interventions
What interventions are you using to address the problem?
Not applicable – action will be taken based on the evidence found.
Is the project design based on evidence? If so, please state reference.
The project utilises published epidemiological studies and builds upon work carried out by the PBS Working Group in the UK.
Outcome
What outcomes or planned outcomes are you measuring?
N/A
Do you have any outcomes or results yet? If so, what are they?
It is estimated that 67 063 adults (aged 20 years and over) in Northern Ireland (5.4%) and 141 063 adults in the Republic of Ireland (4.7%) have diabetes (diagnosed and undiagnosed).
The results are published and the publication is available from www.inispho.org. The full datasets are also available from this website.
Is your project relevant to a government target or guideline?
No.
Feedback
What obstacles did you have to overcome to set up this project?
We had to source local data to populate the model and to ensure the relevance of the model to the island of Ireland. In some instances this data was not immediately available in the required form.
We also had to carry out significant work with relevant stakeholders to highlight the systematic approach of the model.
What have you learned about the project so far?
The figures have been produced in a systematic way and utilised by various stakeholders. The project has also been useful in highlighting a number of deficiencies in the available data.
What would you do differently?
N/A