Diabetes and high sugar levels

Definition

This topic refers primarily to those ever told by a doctor or nurse they have diabetes or high sugar levels in their blood or urine, regardless of whether the person considered their diabetes to be current or long-term (with the exception of gestational diabetes).

All types reported were recorded for the item 'whether ever told by a doctor or nurse':

• Diabetes - type 1 - (insulin dependent)
• Diabetes - type 2 - (non-insulin dependent)
• Diabetes - gestational
• Diabetes - insipidus
• Diabetes - type unknown
• High sugar levels (HSL).

More than one response was allowed.

Population

Information was obtained for all persons in the NHS.

Methodology

Analysis presented in the National Health Survey: First Results ( cat. no. 4364.0.55.001) classifies people as having diabetes if they have reported having been told by a doctor or nurse that they had diabetes, irrespective of whether the person considered their diabetes to be current or long-term. Estimates in all ABS publications exclude gestational diabetes and diabetes insipidus. This definition was first used for estimates of diabetes in Australian Health Survey: Updated Results, 2011-12 (cat. no. 4364.0.55.003).

Respondents were asked:

• Whether their parents and/or siblings had been told by a doctor or nurse that they had diabetes (regardless of whether they reported having diabetes). (This question assists with calculations of diabetes risk using the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool (AUSDRISK)).

Those who had been diagnosed with diabetes or high sugar levels were asked:

• The age at which they were diagnosed
• The type of diabetes (where applicable)
• Whether they currently have diabetes or high sugar levels.

Those reporting only diabetes insipidus were not asked any further questions.

Respondents reporting current diabetes are assumed to have long-term diabetes, with the exception of gestational diabetes which is considered to be short-term. If the respondent reported they currently had high sugar levels they were asked an additional question to determine whether their high sugar levels had lasted, or were expected to last, for six months or more (i.e. were long-term).

Respondents aged 50 years and over who had not been diagnosed with diabetes or high sugar levels, and those of any age who had not been diagnosed with diabetes or high sugar levels but had current, long-term heart or circulatory conditions, were asked whether they had been screened for diabetes in the last 3 years/ever been screened for diabetes.

Those with diagnosed diabetes or diagnosed, current, long-term high sugar levels were asked:

• How often in the last 12 months they or someone else tested their blood glucose levels.

Those with diagnosed, current diabetes and diagnosed, current, long-term HSL were asked

• How often in the last 12 months they or someone else checked their feet
• Whether they were currently taking insulin every day and, if so, the age at which they started having insulin every day and the name or brand of insulin they take.

Those with current diabetes were also asked:

• Whether they had changed their eating pattern or diet because of diabetes, and whether they were currently following a changed eating pattern or diet
• Whether they had taken any (other) action to manage their diabetes in the last 2 weeks including (shown on a prompt card):
• Losing weight
• Exercised most days
• Taken vitamins/mineral supplements
• Taken natural/herbal treatments
• Other
• Whether they had an HbA1c test done in the last 12 months.

Data items

The questionnaire, data items and related output categories for this topic are available in pdf / Excel spreadsheet format from the Downloads page of this product.

Interpretation

Points to be considered in interpreting data for this topic include the following:

• Because this is a household-based survey, those people with diabetes resident in hospitals, nursing or convalescent homes, or similar accommodation are outside the scope of this survey. As a result, the survey may under-represent those with more severe complications of the condition.
• Gestational diabetes (ICD-10 detailed codes 754 and 949) is not considered a long-term condition and therefore is not counted in the estimates for diabetes or NHS Actions data. However, it does contribute towards NHS Diabetes and High Sugar Level module-specific data.

Comparability with 2014-15

Diabetes and high sugar levels data are considered directly comparable between the 2017-18 and 2014-15 NHS.

More information regarding comparisons between 2014-15 NHS and previous cycles is available in the National Health Survey: Users' Guide, 2014-15 (cat. no. 4363.0).