Epidemiology of Diabetes Mellitus in Prince Edward Island

In Prince Edward Island, all diabetic inhabitants who register annually with the Provincial Department of Health can obtain prescribed hypoglycemic medications and urine testing materials free of charge. Since 1964, this drug program has served as an informal register of the diabetic patients living on the island. Based on the data available, the following observations are made: (1) The prevalence rate of diabetes increased from 0.89% in 1966 to 1.53% in 1977. The prevalence rates increased from 0.05% in the <9-yr age group to 8.4% in the >90-yr age group. The prevalence rate of diabetes among school children was 0.19%. (2) The incidence rate was 1.89/1000 in 1977. The highest incidence rate was in the >40-yr age group and the lowest in the < 10-yr age group. (3) Fourteen and a half percent of the diabetic persons were treated with diet alone, 52.7% with oral agents, and 32.5% with insulin in 1977. (4) In 1978, the cost per diabetic person for providing benefits was: oral agent = $14.88, insulin = $84.75, urine testing materials = $9.29, and education = $38.08.