Community care for elderly diabetics: the Fredericia Survey of diabetic and fasting hyperglycaemic subjects aged 60-74 years.
A study was undertaken of the use of community care services by 228 known diabetics and 87 subjects with one fasting blood glucose greater than or equal to 7 mmol/l (fasting hyperglycaemics) found during population screening of a geographically well-defined population aged 60-74 years. The two groups were compared with non-diabetic control groups with the same sex and age distribution as the study groups. The group of known diabetics comprised 52 insulin treated, 101 treated with oral hypoglycaemic agents + diet, 66 diet treated, and nine untreated. Information on community care services (pensions, home help, home nursing care, sick benefit, rent allowance, and technical aids) during the 12 months before ascertainment was obtained from the municipality office. Fasting hyperglycaemics did not receive more community care services than controls other than with regard to home help. More known diabetics received community care services than non-diabetics. Insulin treated diabetics received disability pension, aids, and home nursing care more often than the non-insulin treated. The mean number of hours of home help per person per year was 3-4 times higher for known diabetics in all antidiabetic treatment groups than for controls. The mean number of visits by home nurses/person/year for insulin treated diabetics was 83, for the non-insulin treated 6-7, and for controls 1-2 visits. Insulin injections and treatment of ulcers were the main reasons for the visits.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Damsgaard
E M
EM
Department of Medicine, Fredericia Hospital.
Frøland
A
A
D000368:Aged; D003153:Community Health Services; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003718:Denmark; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy*; D005215:Fasting; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents