Neighbourhood Deprivation and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Arizona from the AzPEARS Study
Jul 15, 2025
This population-based study investigates the association between neighborhood deprivation and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk in Arizona using data from the AzPEARS study (2014–2020). The analysis included 481,113 singleton live births, with GDM identified via birth certificate data. Key findings include:
- The overall GDM incidence was 7.8%, with significant geographic variation (4%–12%) across Arizona.
- GDM prevalence was highest among Native American/American Indian (17.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (13.7%), and Hispanic/Latina (8.3%) populations.
- A Neighborhood Deprivation Index (NDI), derived from eight socioeconomic indicators (e.g., poverty, education, unemployment), was used to quantify area-level deprivation at the census tract level.
- Compared to mothers in the least deprived neighborhoods (NDI Q1), those in the most deprived quartile (Q4) had a 21% higher adjusted risk of GDM (RR 1.21; 95% CI 1.18–1.26), with a clear dose-response trend across quartiles.
- Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of findings across different census years, BMI strata, and among primiparous women.
The authors conclude that neighborhood socioeconomic context significantly influences GDM risk. Public health strategies should incorporate neighborhood-level data to identify vulnerable populations and implement targeted interventions to improve maternal metabolic health and reduce disparities.
Get Monthly Updates to Your Inbox
Join our mailing list to get a round-up of new updates at the start of each month, for free.
We will never sell your information, for any reason. You can unsubscribe at any time.
