Area Deprivation Indices Equally Predict Diabetes Control

Study finds ADI and Yost Index have similar performance in forecasting glycemic and blood pressure outcomes.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 2:19pm

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A translucent, ghostly X-ray image revealing the intricate internal structure of a human pancreas, the central focus against a dark, moody background.An X-ray view into the complex inner workings of the pancreas, a key organ affected by diabetes.Rochester Today

A cohort study in southeast Minnesota found that the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and Yost Index, two commonly used measures of area-based deprivation, exhibit similar associations with diabetes and hypertension control. Both indices were more strongly linked to glycemic control than blood pressure control, suggesting either would be appropriate for researching and developing interventions for diabetes.

Why it matters

Understanding how social determinants of health, like socioeconomic status, influence community health outcomes is crucial for developing effective public health strategies. This study provides insight into the relative performance of two widely used deprivation indices in predicting diabetes and hypertension control, which can inform future research and interventions targeting these chronic conditions.

The details

The study included over 67,000 adults with hypertension and 30,000 with diabetes living in a 19-county region of southeast Minnesota. Researchers established quintiles for the ADI and Yost Index based on state and national ranks, finding moderate agreement between the two measures. Neither index was associated with hypertension control, but individuals in the highest deprivation quintiles were more likely to have uncontrolled diabetes according to both the Yost Index and ADI. The predictive performance of the indices was similar for diabetes control but weaker for blood pressure control.

  • The study was published on April 3, 2026.

The players

Area Deprivation Index (ADI)

A measure of area-based deprivation that considers 17 indicators of education, employment, income, poverty, and housing.

Yost Index

A measure of area-based deprivation that includes 7 socioeconomic status indicators also found in the ADI.

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What’s next

Additional research is needed to determine if an alternative area-based deprivation index has better performance for predicting hypertension control.

The takeaway

This analysis found that two commonly used area-based measures of deprivation, the ADI and Yost Index, had similar performance in predicting diabetes control but were not predictive of blood pressure control. These findings suggest either index would be equally appropriate for researching and developing interventions targeting diabetes outcomes.