Education and Diabetes in a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Population

Abstract

Objectives. We used data from the National Health Interview Survey (1997–2002) to examine the association between education and the prevalence of diabetes in US adults and whether this relation differs by race/ethnicity. Methods. The analyses were limited to non-Hispanic Blacks, non-Hispanic Whites, and Hispanics. SUDAAN was used to account for the complex sampling design. Results. Educational attainment was inversely associated with the prevalence of diabetes. Individuals with less than a high-school diploma were 1.6 (95% confidence interval [CI]=1.4, 1.8) times more likely to have diabetes than those with at least a bachelor’s degree. Whites and Hispanics exhibited a significant relation between diabetes and having less than a high-school education (odds ratio [OR]=1.7; 95% CI=1.5, 2.0; and OR=1.6; 95% CI=1.1, 2.3, respectively). In addition, the odds of having diabetes was stronger for women (OR=1.9; 95% CI=1.6, 2.4) than for men (OR=1.4; 95% CI=1.1, 1.6) Conclusions. Educational attainment was inversely associated with diabetes prevalence among Whites, Hispanics, and women but not among Blacks. Education may have a different effect on diabetes health among different racial/ethnic groups.