What are the barriers to medical care for patients with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus?
BACKGROUND
Few data are available describing factors that prevent patients with newly diagnosed diabetes from seeking medical care.


OBJECTIVE
To identify socioeconomic factors that act as barriers to healthcare among such patients.


METHODS
A community-wide diabetes screening programme.


METHODS
One hundred and eighteen patients with newly identified diabetes mellitus out of 1,824 total screenings.


METHODS
Each newly identified person with diabetes was instructed to contact a physician for follow-up care.


METHODS
A follow-up survey was obtained from 89 (75%) subjects 9 +/- 7 months after diagnosis.


METHODS
Whether or not subjects had obtained follow-up care for their diabetes.


RESULTS
Of seven variables examined, only lack of health insurance correctly predicted those patients who failed to seek medical care for their diabetes by multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Lack of health insurance coverage is the primary reason that patients with newly diagnosed diabetes fail to seek medical care.
University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Department of Medicine/Endocrinology, Albuquerque 87131, USA. MBurge@Salud.UNM.EDU
M R
MR
Burge
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Lucero
A G
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Rassam
D S
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Schade
D017677:Age Distribution; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009516:New Mexico; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose