Educational Achievements, Employment and Social Class of Insulin‐Dependent Diabetics: A Survey of a Young Adult Clinic in Liverpool

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Abstract
The educational achievements, current employment, and social class of 137 diabetic patients aged 20.9 ± 3.0 years (mean ± SD), attending a Young Adult Diabetic clinic in North Liverpool were surveyed. The duration of diabetes was 7.8 ± 5.0 years. Patients who developed diabetes in childhood (age at diagnosis <13 years) were more likely to have achieved educational qualifications, be employed, and be of social class I or II than those developing diabetes aged 13–25 years. Compared with non-diabetic young adults from North Liverpool, diabetics achieved similar educational qualifications and were as likely to be employed after leaving full-time education. This is an encouraging finding in the present harsh economic climate. The clustering of social classes I and II in childhood diabetics found in this study requires a larger epidemiological study of social class and insulin-dependent diabetes for confirmation.