• Last updated: Wed, Feb 7, 2024Status: Ongoing
• Louise Bennet, Dominik Dietler, and Annelie Carlsson

COVID-19 and type 2 diabetes incidence and severity across migration status

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a severe chronic disease affecting 6% in the general population and approximately 12% in people originating from non-western regions. Today every fifth person in Sweden is born abroad and non-western immigrants represents the largest immigrant groups.

T2D contributes to increased risk of morbidity and complications affecting the cardiovascular (macro- and microvascular system) and nervous system and is one of the main contributors to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Studies in the US, Canada, Germany and UK have shown increased incidence in T2D following COVID-19. However, nationwide data from other European countries are missing and contributing mechanism are still unknown.

During the pandemic, non-western immigrants were at increased risk of becoming severely ill in COVID-19. Together with the high T2D prevalence this raises the question whether there are differences in the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on incidence and disease trajectories across migration status. Preventing T2D and severe complications, by identifying contributors are of utmost importance to reduce disease burden, health related costs and not least increase quality of lives and health equity.