Around 100,000 Danes have type 2 diabetes without knowing it, and people of certain ethnic origins are at higher risk of developing the disease.
According to TV2's Ritzau, a new health project has been launched targeting residents of working-class neighborhoods in Denmark, where initial test results have shown that a significant proportion of the population lives with undiagnosed illnesses.
During a three-hour screening campaign in the Høje Gladsaxe area, dozens of people lined up to be tested for type 2 diabetes. According to the Danish Diabetes Association, 11,513 TP3T of those tested were found to have either diabetes or prediabetes, a rate “significantly higher than normal.”.
A joint initiative between health associations and centers
The initiative is being implemented by the Danish Diabetes Association (Diabetsforeningen) in cooperation with the Steno network of specialized diabetes centers. The project aims to develop a model that can be generalized to all popular residential neighborhoods in the country.
Paul Bloch, project manager at the Steno Centers Network, explained that the target group often finds it difficult to access health services, saying: “If we don’t go to the neighborhoods, the people who need help the most won’t get it.”.
Remarkable results in the first trial
The week was the first time this model was applied, with a small bus belonging to the Diabetes Association being set up near a food market in Hoy Glasakse, and 104 people being screened.
The results showed that 61% participants were at “high or very high risk of developing diabetes”, while 11.5 percent were found to have either diabetes or a pre-diabetic condition.
The Danish Diabetes Association estimates that around 100,000 Danes have type 2 diabetes without knowing it.
Experts say: “We find patients every time.”
Tanja Thybo, research director at the Diabetes Association, confirmed that such initiatives make a real difference, referring to past experiences, and said: “In municipalities with a larger number of working-class neighborhoods and the most vulnerable segments of the population, we find higher rates of type 2 diabetes. We find new cases every time.”.
Lars Bonde Jessen, the association's director of events and projects, added that the goal is also to reach people from different ethnic backgrounds, explaining: "People of foreign origin are at higher risk.".
More than diabetes: other diseases targeted
Although the first phase of the project focused on diabetes, those in charge plan to later expand the screening to include cardiovascular diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The project, which is estimated to cost more than 14 million Danish kroner, will continue until March 2028. The campaign is scheduled to continue this year in other areas such as Hillerød and Amager.
Social and health background
Data indicates that residents of low-income housing areas are more susceptible to chronic diseases due to social, economic, and health factors. The project's organizers hope this model will contribute to improved prevention and early treatment, saving hundreds of lives through early detection.
Sources: Ritzau – via TV2
