An estimation of the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Norway. A prescription registration study.

A prevalence of 0.9% for drug-treated diabetes mellitus was calculated (male 0.8; female 1.0) for Norway, based upon a survey of 6777 prescriptions of antidiabetic drugs at 61.5% of Norwegian pharmacies during a four-week period in 1984. A male dominance was found below the age of 50 years, gradually shifting towards female dominance among the elderly. These findings are in accordance with a population screening on diabetes mellitus in the county of Nord-Trøndelag, and may indicate that prescription data can be a valuable source in the estimation of sex and age prevalence figures. Compared to screening, prescription studies are more simple to perform and cheaper, and can provide valuable background information in primary health care.