Migrant adults with diabetes in France: Influence of family migration

AIM To explore the influence of migration and this parameters on the control of diabetes. METHODS A cohort of migrant patients with type 2 diabetes was recruited in a center affiliated to the French national insurance system situated in a department with important migratory phenomenon. Patients fulfilled a questionnaire about diabetes, their migration history, and the EPICES score (deprivation score). We have explored by univariate and multivariate analysis if any of the characteristics of migration could be related to the control of diabetes. This cohort was compared to a non-migrant control group of age and sex-matched patients. RESULTS We included 72 patients, 36 women and 36 men from 20 different countries. The mean age was 57.7 ± 9.6 years. A migration for family reunification was associated with better diabetes equilibrium (Risk of having an HbA1c ⩾8% (63.9 mmol/mol): OR 0.07 (95% IC [0.005-0.86], p = 0.04). The migrant patients who wished to share their time between France and country of origin during their retirement had a better glycaemic control than the migrant patients who would like to go alone into their country (OR 0.08 [0.01-0.78], p = 0.03). Compared to the non migrant group, the EPICES score was higher in the migrant group (52.8 vs. 28.3, p < 0.05), HbA1c was also higher in the migrant group (8.4 vs. 6.7% (68 vs. 50 mmol/mol)). CONCLUSIONS We may fear that migrants share an increased risk of uncontrolled diabetes. Individual migration could be a risk factor of uncontrolled diabetes. Knowing the migration history of migrant patients is fundamental to understand some barriers of care.