[Diabetes mellitus mortality in Spain: a comparative analysis between Spanish provinces in the period of 1981-1986].

OBJECTIVE

To find and compare mortality because of diabetes mellitus (DM) among the different provinces of Spain in the 1981 to 1986 period.

SETTING

The natural movement of population figures of the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and the census of 1981 and register of 1986 were used.

DESIGN

A descriptive observation study of a crossover type. Standardisation of rates by the indirect method. Calculation of the ratio of standardised mortality for each province.

RESULTS

At the national level, the Communities with an excess of mortality in 1981 were Andalusia, Melilla, the Community of Valencia, Murcia, the Balearics, the Canaries and Extremadura, as well as the provinces of Tarragona, Gerona, Ciudad Real and Albacete. In 1986 the following still had excess of mortality: Andalusia, the Community of Valencia, Murcia, the Balearics, the Canaries, Asturias and Cantabria, along with the provinces of Badajoz and Pontevedra.

CONCLUSIONS

The provinces with an excess mortality because of diabetes mellitus are geographically grouped (with some exceptions) in the south and south-east of Spain and the island communities.