Epidemiology and Death Trends Due to Diabetes in Iran

Aims: Diabetes mortality undergoes a growing trend worldwide that results in reducing life expectancy in society. Diabetes has been a significant health challenge in recent decades and imposed a lot of economic burden on the community. The present study aimed to evaluate the trend of diabetes mortality in Iran over five years. Methods & Materials: The mortality data published by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education has been used in this analytical cross-sectional study. The number and rate of diabetic cases are specified based on age, gender, location, and the death process from 2006 to 2010. Findings: About 54.9% and 45.1% of the deaths occurred in women and men, respectively, with a male to female ratio of 0.82. The highest death rate was observed in individuals aged above 70 and 50-69 years with an average age of 68.1 years. A higher mortality rate was observed in the cities than in the countryside, and 40% of deaths occurred due to non-insulin-dependent (type II) diabetes mellitus. Conclusion: Diabetes mortality has increased from 2006 to 2010. Higher deaths were observed in women and cities. Considering the increasing population of older adults in Iran, diabetes prevention and control interventions can be carried out through screening, planning, and education.