Health behaviors and quality of care among Latinos with diabetes in managed care.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated whether ethnicity and language are associated with diabetes care for Latinos in managed care.


METHODS
Using data from 4685 individuals in the Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) Study, a multicenter study of diabetes care in managed care, we constructed multivariate regression models to compare health behaviors, processes of care, and intermediate outcomes for Whites and English- and Spanish-speaking Latinos.


RESULTS
Latinos had lower rates of self-monitoring of blood glucose and worse glycemic control than did Whites, higher rates of foot self-care and dilated-eye examinations, and comparable rates of other processes and intermediate outcomes of care.


CONCLUSIONS
Although self-management and quality of care are comparable for Latinos and Whites with diabetes, important ethnic disparities persist in the managed care settings studied.
Brown
Arleen F
AF
School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. abrown@mednet.ucla.edu
Gerzoff
Robert B
RB
Karter
Andrew J
AJ
Gregg
Edward
E
Safford
Monika
M
Waitzfelder
Beth
B
Beckles
Gloria L A
GL
Brusuelas
Rebecca
R
Mangione
Carol M
CM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology*; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin