Diabetes mellitus tipo 2: prevalência e fatores associados na população atendida em um ambulatório de saúde indígena

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most impactful non-communicable chronic diseases globally. At the same time, indigenous populations are undergoing an accelerated epidemiological transition, with abrupt changes in dietary habits and lifestyle, which makes them especially vulnerable to developing T2DM, a condition that was practically absent in these communities until a few decades ago. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of T2DM and describe disease-related characteristics in an indigenous population treated at a specialized health clinic in Rio Grande do Sul. This is a cross-sectional study, conducted with adult patients (≥20 years old) seen between August 2021 and June 2024. Sociodemographic, health, and behavioral data were collected from electronic medical records, and statistical analysis included prevalence calculation with confidence interval (95% CI) and the chi-square test. In the sample of 570 participants, the prevalence of T2DM was 11.2% (95% CI 8.5-13.8). The disease was significantly more prevalent in individuals aged 60 to 69 years (22.7%; p<0.001) and in those with hypertension (7.0%; p<0.001). There was no significant difference regarding sex, education, smoking, or alcohol use. An unexpected finding was the higher prevalence of T2DM in non-dyslipidemic patients (8.4%; p<0.001), possibly a reflection of underdiagnosis of dyslipidemia or its previous treatment. Thus, the burden of T2DM in the studied indigenous population is relevant and primarily affects the elderly and hypertensive individuals. The results suggest the implementation of surveillance measures, early detection, and integrated, culturally appropriate care strategies to contain the advance of this epidemic among Indigenous peoples.