Risk of diabetes complications / Mental health comorbidities / Gestational diabetes
Risk of diabetes complications (St. Vincent goals)
Research is conducted analyzing the complications of diabetes: amputations, myocardial infarction, stroke, end-stage renal disease, blindness, as well as complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Reduction of late complications was named as a central objective in the St. Vincent Declaration for the Improvement of Diabetes Care. The risks of complications in the population with diabetes are assessed on the basis of various data sources, in particular, amongst others, health insurance and registry data. Relative and attributable risks can be calculated by comparison of the incidence of diseases in people. Costs and mortality after the onset of the complication are also investigated. The results indicate potential improvements in the care of people with diabetes.
Mental health comorbidities
According to available studies, mental illnesses as comorbidities of diabetes are frequently linked to a negative disease progression. Knowledge of the frequency of mental health comorbidities, possible influencing factors and consequences are needed to develop targeted interventions and be able to evaluate their effectiveness.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), also referred to as diabetes during pregnancy or type 4 diabetes, is a glucose tolerance disorder which occurs and is diagnosed during pregnancy. Pregnancy hormones, which act as insulin antagonists, are predominantly released in the second half of pregnancy. If the body can no longer compensate this with its own insulin production, blood sugar levels rise and GDM develops.
Studies show that this poses an increased risk of high blood pressure, urinary tract and kidney infections, premature birth, Caesarean sections, and development of type 2 diabetes in later life. Children born to mothers with GDM are more frequently affected by macrosomia and shoulder dystocia.
The health care structure of patients with GDM in Germany is analyzed along with the interrelation between obstetric, diabetological, gynaecological, paediatric and general practitioner’s (GP) health care. Various instruments and data sources are used to do so, for instance register and health insurance data. The results should give insights into how the care situation can be improved for women during pregnancy and for women with GDM diagnosis even after pregnancy.