Brinkhues Stephanie, Dukers-Muijrers Nicole H T M, Hoebe Christian J P A, van der Kallen Carla J H, Dagnelie Pieter C, Koster Annemarie, Henry Ronald M A, Sep Simone J S, Schaper Nicolaas C, Stehouwer Coen D A, Bosma Hans, Savelkoul Paul H M, Schram Miranda T
Department of Medical Microbiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Department of Sexual Health, Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health, Public Health Service South Limburg, P.O. Box 33, 6400 AA, Heerlen, the Netherlands.
BMC Public Health. 2017 Dec 19;17(1):955. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4948-6.
Social isolation is associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), but it is unclear which elements play a crucial role in this association. Therefore, we assessed the associations of a broad range of structural and functional social network characteristics with normal glucose metabolism, pre-diabetes, newly diagnosed T2DM and previously diagnosed T2DM.
Participants originated from The Maastricht Study, a population-based cohort study (n = 2861, mean age 60.0 ± 8.2 years, 49% female, 28.8% T2DM (oversampled)). Social network characteristics were assessed through a name generator questionnaire. Diabetes status was determined by an oral glucose tolerance test. We used multinomial regression analyses to investigate the associations between social network characteristics and diabetes status, stratified by sex.
More socially isolated individuals (smaller social network size) more frequently had newly diagnosed and previously diagnosed T2DM, while this association was not observed with pre-diabetes. In women, proximity and the type of relationship was associated with newly diagnosed and previously diagnosed T2DM. A lack of social participation was associated with pre-diabetes as well as with previously diagnosed T2DM in women, and with previously diagnosed T2DM in men. Living alone was associated with higher odds of previously diagnosed T2DM in men, but not in women. Less emotional support related to important decisions, less practical support related to jobs, and less practical support for sickness were associated with newly diagnosed and previously diagnosed T2DM in men and women, but not in pre-diabetes.
This study shows that several aspects of structural and functional characteristics of the social network were associated with newly and previously diagnosed T2DM, partially different for men and women. These results may provide useful targets for T2DM prevention efforts.
社交隔离与2型糖尿病（T2DM）相关，但尚不清楚哪些因素在这种关联中起关键作用。因此，我们评估了广泛的结构和功能社交网络特征与正常葡萄糖代谢、糖尿病前期、新诊断的T2DM和既往诊断的T2DM之间的关联。
参与者来自马斯特里赫特研究，这是一项基于人群的队列研究（n = 2861，平均年龄60.0±8.2岁，49%为女性，28.8%为T2DM（过度抽样））。通过姓名生成问卷评估社交网络特征。通过口服葡萄糖耐量试验确定糖尿病状态。我们使用多项回归分析来研究社交网络特征与糖尿病状态之间的关联，并按性别分层。
社交隔离程度更高的个体（社交网络规模更小）更频繁地患有新诊断和既往诊断的T2DM，而在糖尿病前期未观察到这种关联。在女性中，亲近程度和关系类型与新诊断和既往诊断的T2DM相关。缺乏社交参与与女性的糖尿病前期以及既往诊断的T2DM相关，与男性的既往诊断的T2DM相关。独居与男性既往诊断的T2DM几率较高相关，但与女性无关。在重要决策方面较少的情感支持、在工作方面较少的实际支持以及在疾病方面较少的实际支持与男性和女性新诊断和既往诊断的T2DM相关，但与糖尿病前期无关。
本研究表明，社交网络的结构和功能特征的几个方面与新诊断和既往诊断的T2DM相关，男性和女性部分不同。这些结果可能为T2DM预防工作提供有用的靶点。
