Diabetes: mortality data

The statistics in this section are derived from deaths data published by National Records of Scotland, based on year of registration of death. These figures may underestimate the rate of deaths involving diabetes where the cause is not listed on the death certificate.

Mortality rates are higher in men than women for all types of diabetes, including deaths where diabetes was the primary or “underlying” cause of death, and where diabetes was recorded as a contributory cause.

Type 1 Diabetes

Chart 1 shows that in 2024 there were 145 deaths where type 1 diabetes was listed as the underlying cause, equating to 2.5 deaths per 100,000 population. This represents a decrease from 2.8 deaths per 100,000 in 2023, with the decline driven by reduced mortality in men. Over the long-term, mortality from type 1 diabetes has been rising, with a 47% increase reported between 2011 and 2024.

Deaths where type 1 diabetes was recorded as a contributory cause continued to increase in 2024 to 288 deaths (4.9 per 100,000) across both sexes.

Type 2 Diabetes

In 2024 there were 984 deaths where type 2 diabetes was listed as the underlying cause (17.2 deaths per 100,000 population). This rate has doubled since 2011 (8.6 deaths per 100,000 population). Sex-based differences in mortality rate emerged around 2018 and continue to widen, with rate of deaths 65% higher in men. The gap can be attributed to mortality in women levelling off around 2017, with only a 6% rise in deaths in women reported between 2017 and 2024. Mortality in men increased by 27% over the same period.

Similarly, the long-term mortality trends where type 2 diabetes was recorded as a contributory cause doubled to 5,797 deaths (100.8 deaths per 100,000) between 2011 and 2024. However, in both sexes rates of contributory deaths have stabilised since around 2021. In 2024 contributory deaths were 72% higher in men than women.

Other Diabetes

In addition to type 1 and type 2 diabetes, various other types of diabetes cause morbidity and mortality in Scotland. These types are outlined on the Diabetes UK website. Examples include gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy, neonatal diabetes, and “Type 3c diabetes” where the pancreas is damaged by another disease such as pancreatitis or cystic fibrosis, inhibiting insulin production or function. In ICD-10, these conditions are grouped as “other diabetes”.

Between 2011 and 2024, mortality where the underlying cause of deaths was “other diabetes” decreased by 55.7% to 154 deaths, or 2.7 deaths per 100,000 population. However, this was a 13% increase in mortality rate compared to 2023.

Mortality has also decreased where “other diabetes” was recorded as a contributory cause of death between 2011 and 2024. Sex-based mortality gaps have also narrowed during the period.