Diabetes: Scottish Diabetes Survey

The Scottish Diabetes Survey is the key source of information on diabetes in Scotland. Table 1 shows the rise in the proportion of the Scottish population included in diabetes registers. This rise is likely to reflect improved reporting as well as real increases in the prevalence of diabetes.

In 2007 the prevalence of diabetes in individual Scottish NHS boards varied from 3.7% to 4.6%. Differences in population age profiles may contribute to this variation. Type 1 diabetes accounted for 13.0% of cases where the type was recorded. In 2007  89% of patients had a record of an HbA1c test (1) within the previous 15 months (compared to 87% in 2006) and 84% had a record of eye-screening in the preceding 15 months (compared to 89% in 2006). Recording of ethnic group increased from 24% in 2006 to 33.3% in 2007.

Table 1. Prevalence of diabetes in Scotland 2001-2007, the Scottish Diabetes Survey

Year	Crude Prevalence (%)
2001 (2)	2.1
2002 (3)	2.0
2003 (2)	2.6
2004 (2)	3.2
2005 (2)	3.4
2006 (4)	3.9
2007 (5)	4.1

(1) HbA1c (glycosylated haemoglobin) is a test that measures long term levels of blood glucose, and therefore gives an indication of the quality of diabetes control.

(2) These survey reports have in the past been available from the Diabetes in Scotland website. However this is currently (April 2008) not available.

(3) The  2002 Scottish Diabetes Survey  is available from the Scottish Government website

(4) The full report for the Scottish Diabetes Survey 2006  is available by following the link.

(5) The 2007 survey is available from the publications section of the Diabetes in Scotland website.