TY - JOUR AU - Reichenbach, Nicolas AU - Laimer, Markus AU - Diem, Peter PY - 2021/03/19 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the greater Bern region (Bern-Mittelland) 2010–2014 JF - Swiss Medical Weekly JA - Swiss Med Wkly VL - 151 IS - 1112 SE - Original article DO - 10.4414/smw.2021.20478 UR - https://smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/2979 SP - w20478 AB - <p><strong>OBJECTIVE</strong> <p>Concerning diabetes mellitus, one of the greatest burdens in public health in the 21st century, epidemiological data in Switzerland are scarce. To address this issue, this study intended to use a little-known but convenient way to quantify the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the Swiss region of Bern-Mittelland.</p> <strong>METHODS</strong> <p>In a population of approximately 330,000 people, the prevalence for the years 2010–2014 in adult persons was estimated using the capture-recapture method based on data collected routinely at the University Hospital in Bern (Inselspital) using outpatient lists and the registry of persons insured with Helsana Insurance Group.</p> <strong>RESULTS</strong> <p>The estimated prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 3.97% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.41–4.53%) in 2010, with a slight decrease to 3.65% (95% CI 3.24–4.06%) in 2014. An average of 3430 patients with diabetes or 26% of the total number appeared on at least one patient list. The remaining 74% were unknown patients identified by the capture-recapture method.</p> <strong>CONCLUSIONS</strong> <p>The estimated prevalence of diabetes mellitus was in a range comparable to national and international studies. Thus, administratively collected data in clinics and insurance companies constitute a convenient data source for epidemiological studies. In conjunction with the capture-recapture method an approach with comparatively low effort and costs for the surveillance of chronic disease can be provided.</p></p> ER -